A Holly Branch
by Delightfully Tacky
Summary: Everyone know the story about Harry Potter and his friends, but what about the other students who attended Hogwarts at the same time, how were their time? This is a story about Holly Garwin and her own gang of friends, in the same year as the famous Harry Potter, but doesn't really know him. What sort of adventures will they have and how will their presence affect the story?
1. Chapter 1 - The Beginning

**Hello, everyone. Just a quick few words about this story.**

 **This is an idea of how chracters, there weren't featured in the books experienced their seven years at Hogwarts, with creatures attacking muggleborns, a serial killer on the loose and tri-wizard tournemant. Of course there will be cameo's of our favorite characters, but this is mostly about my OC's.**

* * *

 **Chapter I**

Her hands were going numb from the cold. Not even her gloves could protect her. Nevertheless, Holly didn't let go of the branch she was keeping to the side in order to get a clearer view of the field. The Crabapple's tree had vivid red colour leaves, it contrasts strongly against the green on the other side and the grey of the sky.

There was clapping and shouting coming from the field, kids running around, from post to post while their team cheered on loudly. Holly held her breath, watching as Julie Parry just managed to skit behind the last post before the ball was returned.

A roar of glee erupted, because that had been the deciding round and they had won. Everyone clapped Julie on the back, the sight of it giving the feeling of something was clamped around Holly's chest. Her thoughts went to when they used to do that to her, especially when she managed a whole Rounder, all four posts in one go. A part of her couldn't help but feel a bit self-contended, never having seen any of the others pull off a whole Rounder off, quite as often as she had. Holly had hoped that for that reason alone, the coach and the teachers would allow her back on the team, but it was clear to her now that her days of playing on the _Hawes Side Rounders_ was over.

It really wasn't fair at all. It had been Mary and Tina who'd called her names and shoved her hard enough, so she fell backwards. They had laughed, turned around, leaving Holly fuming, when one of the white balls came flying at them and hit Mary in the back of the head. It had looked so comical, her falling face first into the damp grass, with Tina letting out a squeal of fright beside her fallen friend, so Holly had snickered, feeling like it was well deserved. But then Tina went and blamed it on her, just because she had laughed and since there was no one behind Holly, where the ball had come from, the coach believed them. That had been the last straw.

Together with the recent mishaps at school, Holly was kicked off the team and this time her parents hadn't been able to convince them otherwise.

Holly heard Coach Kendall blow his whistle and they gathered around him. Practice was over, and it was the last one in this term. The year before they had met up once or twice over the summer holiday to practice but it had been difficult with so many going traveling in different parts of the country or world. Maybe coach Kendall would try again this year and that was what he was telling the team, Holly couldn't hear and whether they were or not no longer applied to her. Soon the group disbanded, and everyone began cleaning up, picking up the cones, balls and bats. Her former teammates moved in an organised sort of chaos, looking a bit like beetles, scuttling around in the dark P.E. uniforms. Soon, they had cleared off and the field was empty.

Holly stayed a few more minutes, hidden among the branches, hurdled up like a squirrel.

She knew she ought to go home, like she should've have done when school was out, as her parents had told her to do.

Holly didn't want to go home, not after being late and not usually at all lately.

Since the mishaps at school, her parents liked her to come straight home with no dilly-dallying. However, the house felt stuffy and Holly often got quite bored, missing her friends. Missing having friends. Her grandparents, especially Grandma Georgie, was the only ones beside her parents who ever really had time for her. Now, with summer, she knew that she would be terrible lonely and have very little reason not to be at the house.

Still, there was no point in delaying the reprimand she was bound to get from either her mother or father or both.

Stretching her stiff limbs, Holly worked a bit of warmth into them, loosening the locked joints. It really was a rather chilly day, even with it being the middle of July. The sun was shining but it looked washed out against the sky that was so pale blue it was more of grey.

The wind had gotten somewhat brash too. Holly thought that maybe that was why Julie had managed to get the ball far enough for her to make it half way around and then make it all the way on Erin's batter.

Grabbing a sturdy branch hanging above her, Holly moved from her spot, so she could climb down, putting one foot down and letting her arms hold most of her weight. It happened far too quickly. There was a crackle and then a _Snap!_

Then she was falling, and she was sure her heart was going to leap from her chest before even hitting the ground. It is amazing how fast one's mind can think, how many thoughts and questions it could make before a second have past. Most of Holly's thoughts were on the pain that hitting the ground from fourteen feet would cause, or what would happen if she hit every branch on the way down or if she would be able to land properly, like a cat.

Yet, the ground stayed a good distance away and it seemed to take an awful long time for it to get closer. Holly looked around and saw that it wasn't the ground being slow to come at her, but the other way around. It wasn't like in the films were everything seems to slow down, rather, it was Holly herself who had slowed down. Gently, like she weighted no more than a feather, Holly floated down. It felt like she was filled with nothing but air, a balloon slowly descending. Looking down, there was still at least seven feet left and did make her nervous.

Holly managed to move her arms and grab a hold of a rather thick branch, more like part of the main trunk, and clamber onto it. She wasn't about to trust the lack of gravity with the last bit, not knowing what had made it happen or when it would stop.

When she was safely on the branch, Holly felt the familiar heaviness of her own body return, as if it had just popped off for a minute to take a breather and then came back. Moving her head back, she looked up and saw the stump of the broken branch, the rest of it being on the ground now. Seemed the cause had been the rot eating through the wood.

It took a moment for what had happened to sink it, when it did, a great grin broke across her face.

She had flown! Or as close to it as she would ever get without some kind of contraption.

For a moment, the laws of what goes up must come down, had gone for a quick kip and then come back like nothing had ever happened.

She couldn't stop smiling, even when she began climbing down, with great care, testing every branch. Holly was not going to temp the laws of physics twice, not yet anyway. The bark was rough on her one hand while the other was still protected by the glove. She could spot the other one of the ground, purple against green and brown. Once having firmness under her feet again, Holly picked it up, then noticed the hole in her black tights and the raw, red skin underneath.

"Oh damn" Holly muttered, knowing how her mother could get with her uniform. Then again, she wouldn't be wearing it anymore. This had been the last year of school and after the holiday, she would be going to a different one, with a different uniform.

By the trunk laid her bag, a bit hidden by grass and bushes. Holly picked it up and slung it across her shoulder, looking up one more time, as if she could spot where she had floated by some difference in the air. The wind made the leaves dance and the little twigs rattled against each other, sounding like birds clacking their beaks, but that was all.

The way back was a short one, as the field laid close to the row of terraced houses.

Most of them were mirror images of each other, with only the front yard being different; some were neat, others messy, some with toys and some with garden gnomes.

Some had tried to change the outer look by painting the walls, the windows and the door. That's was why, among reddish-brown bricks was blue, yellow and even one or two green houses. Her favourite was the blue one with the purple door and oriental decorations. It was much more interesting than her own, with its normal brick colour, white door and window panels.

It had a small brick barrier and a white gate of the same height, which Holly always found confusing. It was very easy to climb over, Holly had done it all the time when she was younger, liking the idea of earning her way inside by overcoming the challenge and it had to be easy for a grown-up. So, if it wasn't to keep people from breaking in, then why have any kind of fence at all?

From the street, you could see inside the living room, so her mother would often draw the curtains in the evening. They weren't now, and Holly could see straight in and saw the shapes of both her parents sitting in the sofa facing the window, but also, on the sofa just by the window, was a third person. Holly couldn't see anything but the back of the persons head. She gave a little sigh of relief. If they had a guest in the house, her parents couldn't be mad at her, at least not in front of the other person and maybe by the time the guest left, they would have forgotten all about her being late, again.

"I'm home" she said loudly after stepping inside, taking off her shoes and putting them in the closet that was filled with shoes. Most of them were her mother's but there was a lot of shiny black and brown ones that was her father's.

"You're late" came her mom's voice. She was standing in the doorway that led to the living room, arms folded with half of her dark brown hair draped across her shoulder.

There was something in her voice that sounded strange, not the normal scolding tone that came with not following the rules. There was a tightness in her voice, as if her mom was holding something back. Taking a better look at her mom, Holly noticed that she seemed very tense, lips stretched and thin and her cheeks lacked the normal colour.

Then her whole face changed to a look of mild shock, when she gave Holly a proper look. With a flash she was in front of Holly, her long fingers in her wild hair, running through the curly locks and picking bits and pieces of twigs and bark out.

Holly felt rather stupid just then, not thinking about how she looked after having climbed a tree. "What have you been doing?" she asked, and Holly avoided her eyes. Her mom let out a sigh and then added in a softer tone,

"Have you been out by the field again, eh? Watching the team?"

There was something about being accused that always made Holly want to deny everything. It didn't matter if she had done it or not, that was not the point. It was about not getting caught, it was to outwit people and not surrender too quickly if other options are available.

So, Holly scrunched up her face, making sure her eyebrows were close together, and said

"No, I just decided to do some climbing on the way home, since the storm knocked down our oak tree"

She saw her mother was about to argue and Holly prepared for it, but before a second inquiry could happen, her dad poked his head out from the living room.

"What's the hold up, Tessa? You are keeping our _guest_ waiting" he said.

The way he said 'Guest' made it sound like he did not believe in the word, that it didn't fit the person who was waiting. Looking at him, Holly noticed his face looked a bit red and his curly blonde hair was dishevelled as if he had his hand through it multiple times.

He had not changed out of his work suit, as he never wore a tie at home or a blazer. Her mom looked up at him, her lips stretched into a thin line and with her hands still on her, Holly could feel them tightened. Her mother tried smoothing Holly's hair, getting the last pieces of wood out if it, before raising herself upright.

Holly had no idea of what had gotten her parents into such a mood, that her mother looked pale and her father looked angry, so she allowed her mother to guide her into the living room.

In the plush red sofa sat an elderly lady, with her black hair in a bun and square spectacles resting on the bridge of her nose. She was older than her parents, but younger than her grandmother and she was very green. As in she was completely dressed in the colour, from an emerald shirt-blouse to the skirt which was to below the knees with tartan print.

Even her eyes, that skimmed just over the glasses, were green and they were looking directly at Holly.

Holly didn't get why her parents where so fervent with her meeting this woman, usually with visitors a nice _Hello_ was enough. So that was what she did hoping she then could go up in her room or into the garden. She walked the last bit to the woman herself, stretching out her right hand in greeting. "Hello, how do you do".

The woman's eyes gave her a second's glance before taking her hand and greeted her.

"Well enough, miss Garwin, though I have been waiting for some time to meet you" she said in a stern voice and they both let go.

At this, Holly became puzzled. Had they really waited for her to come home?

She never had adult guests, lately she never had any beside her grandparents. The only other times was when they came to complain about her, like her teacher had done when Holly slugged Kevin William for calling her a freak and throwing her book in a puddle.

But Holly had never seen this woman before, not at school or anywhere in the neighbourhood.

So why was she here if it involved her.

"What about we all take a seat" she said, her tone reminding Holly of the teacher at school.

Holly and her parents took a seat on the other sofa, Holly sitting to the right and her mother in the middle. There was a tension in the air that made Holly feel uncomfortable.

"My name is McGonagall and I am a professor at Hogwarts school" the lady, McGonagall, began, voice calm and collected. This was something she had done before, so often she probably script it out.

"And I would like to offer you a place there, a scholarship so to speak"

Holly's brow frowned for real this time, even more confused than before. Why would anyone give _her_ a scholarship? Holly held no illusion about how she was at school, even without the strange incidence, she was no honour student. Her grades varied from barely good enough in classes she found uninteresting to quite good at things she liked. Her behaviour had been described in meetings as unruly, head-strong and a fibber. Not exactly a candidate to some prestigious school as this woman probably was from.

Then again, there wasn't much for her at her current school, but she was going to change anyway, this was the last summer. After the holiday she was going to start at Montgomery Academy, her mother had even planned on taking Holly shopping for the maroon and black coloured uniform.

Looking at her parents, because they had been oddly quiet, Holly saw that her mother was squeezing father's hand very tightly.

' _What on earth have gotten into them?'_

She would have thought they would be overjoyed that a school wanted to admit her, even seeking her out. She was brought out of her thinking when McGonagall spoke again.

"Now, Hogwarts is a school for special children who is not quite like others"

All at once, Holly felt how any excitement froze and became hard.

That's why her parents had been so weird. They were gonna ship her off to some boarding school for problem children, like a boot camp. They wanted to get rid of her, so they could live normal lives without her. It burned down in her stomach, like coal that blistered her from the inside until she couldn't stand still any longer.

"I en't going" she exclaimed, jumping up from the sofa before her mother even had a chance of catching her hand. Holly glared at the adults, her hands balled up into fists while tears seared in the corner of her eyes, but Holly simply refused to let them fall. They could stay there and turn to mist, like boiled water.

"Honey, sit down and listen to- "her mother said, but Holly didn't want to listen.

"You can't make me go there, I'm not a problem you can simply send away, I ain't going"

Holly took a step backwards, ready to bolt for the front door. She was ready to fight her mother or argue with her father, what she wasn't ready for was a calm and steely voice to speak.

"Calm yourself down child, good gracious, you are an impatient one. If you let me finish, before you go shouting the whole house down, you might find that it is not what you think".

Holly felt her cheeks flush and the need to refute the older woman.

However, she found herself biting her tongue and giving a small nod, but she did not sit back down. There was still something about what she had that made Holly feel on edge. The word 'Special' sounded too much like 'Nutcase' in her mind.

The anger simmered down, staying under the surface and ready to blow again like a geyser.

Glancing at her parents, Holly caught their gaze which was a mix of disapproval and tenderness. She quickly averted her eyes to focus on McGonagall.

The older woman gave a little nod and cleared her throat "Thank you" and continued.

"As I was saying, Hogwarts is a special school that take children of a certain nature in"

McGonagall's eyes fixed on Holly's. Even with her standing up and the older woman sitting down, it felt like McGonagall was staring her down behind those spectacles.

"Tell me, Miss Holly, have you ever experienced strange occurrences around you? Made things happen that you can't fully explain?"

The voice was low, vibrating in Holly's very being as it dragged memory after memory into the light. The ball that flew at Mary, shattering a glass without touching it, making a flower bloom in the dead of winter, turning one of the boy's hair a sickly yellow and just today, with the loss of gravity in the tree. There were loads of examples and it happened more and more lately.

Holly wasn't sure what to say, so she just nodded, wary of the stranger.

Was the school some kind of place for kids with special abilities? Like bending spoon, reading minds or being able to predict certain things?

Holly couldn't do that and all the things she had done, she had no idea how.

"And this was at times when your emotions were, let's say, intense?"

Another nod. Holly remembered how angry she had been at Mary, how happy when the flower bloomed and frightened when falling.

"Have you any idea of what that means?"

It was the kind of question that had only one correct answer and of course McGonagall knew it. It made Holly believe that this lady was indeed a teacher, because that was how they asked questions.

"That I'm weird"

Holly crossed her arms, feeling exposed under the older woman's gaze. It would be better if her tone was angry, berating or anything other than perfectly seriousness, 'cause the next thing she said should not usually, by any means, be taken seriously.

"It means, young lady, that you are a witch"

Holly wanted to laugh and nearly did, but one glance at her parents and the amusement died right then and then. Her mother was clutching her father's hand tightly, her eyes fixed on the coffee table before she made an excuse to fetch some more tea and disappeared out to the kitchen.

Her father stayed, now holding his own hands in a locked grip.

' _They believe her'_ Holly realised. Her mother was a no-nonsense woman, who had in school refused to attend church even though it was mandatory and as an adult took a very scientific way of life. Neither of her parents had pretended there was anything like Santa Claus, believing in telling the truth but instead had made small games at Christmas to keep the magic alive. So, for her parents to not yell balderdash and demand McGonagall to leave their house immediately, she had to have _proved_ to them that witches were a real thing. Another thought crossed her mind. Was this old woman a witch?

One voice, one that sounded a lot like her dad, kept insisting it had to be fake, a prank or a joke but it slowly faded away as memories of the strange occurrences kept popping up.

She has done something impossible today. She had floated like a leaf, instead of dropping like any normal person would.

"I did those things…. with magic?" she said, tentatively, her arms becoming uncrossed and all of her attention on the old woman, the witch, once again. She barely heard the whistling of the kettle boiling in the kitchen, or notice her father clearing his throat in discomfort.

Her curiosity was peaked, anger gone.

The old woman nodded.

"Are you a witch too?" Holly asked, even if she was quite sure that she was.

"Yes, I am a witch, and I am a professor at a school that teaches young witches and wizards how to control their magic, as well as give an excellent education"

At these words, the older lady seemed to puff out her chest a little, like Holly had seen roosters do.

She began imagining what a magic school would look like. She thought of castles, she thought whimsical buildings where everyone wore pointed hats and robes with stars and moons stitched into the fabric. Holly wondered if the witches rode on brooms or maybe dragons. Did dragons exist? Or other magical creatures like Gryphons, mermaids, unicorns and kelpies?

So many questions welled up inside of her chest, waiting, ready to be ignited like with a gas stove.

"So, you can do magic? Like real magic, not just that sleight of hand or the kind that uses trickery, like the one with cutting a woman in half, but really the legs are just fake and the case in much deeper than it looks."

McGonagall looked a bit shocked but regained her composure and answered yes.

"Can you show me? Right now, can you do something magical, something amazing and real?"

At this point her mother came trotting back into the living room, a pot of tea and a plate of biscuits neatly arranged with her. Normally, Holly would go straight for the biscuits, as she knew her mother only stocked the best for when they had guests, but she was far too occupied.

Her mother sat back down beside her father, looking a bit calmer but still a touch unnerved.

"I don't see why not" McGonagall answered. From inside her sleeve, she produced what could only be described as a wand. A polished, smooth wand-like wood that had some shapes by the handle. She flourished in the air, drew a flat ' _M'_ like shape and said "AH-viss".

Holly marvelled. From the tip of the wand, a small flock of yellow birds appeared. They were no bigger than sparrows and they twittered as they flew around the room, without knocking anything over or down. A smile, reaching from one ear and all the way to the other, spread across Holly's face.

"Fantastic!" she said loudly, her hand stretching out to see if she could touch one of them, to see if they were solid or only an illusion. One flew low enough for the feathers of the underbelly to touch her fingertips and Holly felt the softness of the plumage. She let out a giggle. It was as if, where the burning fury at been, there was now tiny bubbles all floating and bursting, giving a strange tinkling sensation. It made Holly think of the champagne her mother let her try last New Year's Eve.

All too soon, the birds disappeared, out in thin air, just like they came.

She spun around to face McGonagall whose lips were turned lightly upwards.

"Will I be able to do that? Can I learn magic like that, instead of this random stuff?"

And then began a very lengthy conversation that took so long that is was nearly supper when they were done. Mrs. McGonagall explained about something she called 'Accidental Magic', which was what Holly had been doing since she was about eight. She talked about the school, Hogwarts, a rather odd name in Holly's opinion but knowing nothing about the magic world, she kept quiet and simply listened.

"How has she been on this acceptance list when we had no idea about magic?" her father asked, his tone confused and sceptical. Holly always wondered if it was because of what he did, that he was so used to asking questions and not quite believing in what others claimed.

"Well, we have a magical quill that writes down all the children born with magic in a book- "

"Excuse me?" her father interrupted, his face having gone red and resembled a clenched fist.

"Are you saying that you are basing your claim that our daughter is a witch when all the proof you have is some codger that writes it in some book?"

Holly wanted him to be quiet, to not spoil everything with his science but at the same time, it was a good question. McGonagall look thoroughly annoyed at the interruption, eyebrow crooked and lips thin.

"I never said anything about someone writing in the book" she simply stated.

"But you said- "Holly's mother began but was cut off by McGonagall prim voice.

"I said the _quill_ is writing in the book, I never mentioned anyone holding it"

This did not reassure Holly's parents, on the contrary, it enraged them even more.

"This is a scam! A quill that writes on its own accord, recording magical children when they are born. How do you know that it hasn't made a mistake, hmm? I assume that it can do that, like with a computer, it could just be an error"

McGonagall's voice was frosty and demanding attention.

"I assure you that the Quill and book is never wrong, we have never admitted a non-magical child into Hogwarts in the its history and as that was over a thousand years ago, I would claim that it works"

Her steely eyes dug into Holly's father. It was clear he wanted to object, ask how it worked but a hand from mother was enough for him to keep quiet. McGonagall adjusted her spectacles, seemingly satisfied with having control of the conversation again.

"Besides, miss Garwin, is hardly the first in your family have magic or attend Hogwarts, you have to look no further than her grandfather, your father Mrs. Garwin" she said casually.

A pin could have dropped on the wooden floor and be heard. It was if that statement had frozen everyone in shock. When Holly remembered to breath, she let out a very disbelieving "Wha'?"

It broke the silence and her mother too could not believe what the older woman had claimed.

"No, you must be mistaken, my father wasn't some kind of wizard. I admit he liked stage magic and was very good at it, but that was all"

"I am afraid I am speaking the truth, Elias Casterwill attended in 1926, graduated a few years before I myself began my first year. It is quite common for the magic to skip a generation or two if the other parent is a muggle" McGonagall explained, but in turn raised more questions.

"What's a muggle" asked Holly.

"A non-magical person, people, like your parents, who can't do magic"

So, her grandma Georgie was a muggle, as her parents. Holly remembered all her birthdays were her grandpa would put on magic shows. It had always been a good mix of sleight of hand, card tricks, the classics and in the end, always something truly amazing. That was the only time he used a wand.

' _His wand! I've been looking at it so often at those shows, wondering why it wasn't the traditional black ones with white tips'_ Holly realised, amazed. Her grandpa had probably been doing magic her whole life. Excitement threatened to carry her off, until she realised that she would never be able to ask him, well, anything. He had died, only last summer, of a stroke.

' _He will never know, I am magic too'_ and that thought made Holly feel lonely.

The only other magical person she knew, and the news had come too late. A thought struck her, before she could wallow too much.

"Did my grandma know it, that he was a wizard?"

The old witch gave her a pointed look behind her spectacles, one eyebrow raised once more.

"How would I know that? I did not know your grandfather personally, but he might have. Some hide it, some are found out or others simply choses to tell the truth, but never in the beginning. We have very strict laws about revealing the magical world"

She proceeded to tell about something called 'The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy', which was boiled down; not to let muggles know about magi so you couldn't go around willy-nilly and tell everyone. Holly wanted to ask her grandma Georgie right away what she knew about magic.

' _Though,'_ she thought _'I will have to be sneaky about it, in case grandpa never told her'_ but that didn't seem very likely. Grandma Georgie was rather like a bloodhound at sniffing lies out and grandpa Elias had loved her ever so much, so Holly couldn't see him keeping such a big secret from her.

"Did he know? My father, did he know about Holly?" her mother asked in a voice that shook a little. It seemed at McGonagall began feeling some pity for Holly's mother, because her tone became kinder.

"I really couldn't say Mrs. Garwin. He might have suspected, if the accidental magic has been happening for a while,"

"It has, since she was small, but we never thought much about it, it is only the last few years it has become noticeable" her mother answered, and Holly realised something else. Her mother, however small, was relieved. Maybe because this meant that Holly was not a child acting out, not a troubled kid that needed a correctional facility. Or maybe it was because Holly would learn how to control it.

"Then I think he might have known but chosen not to tell. It can be hard telling people you love a secret they have been keeping for so long, he might not have wanted to cause a rift" McGonagall said, green eyes soft. They continued talking, but not for long. McGonagall produced two letters from a small bag and handed them to Holly. The top one was thick with emerald green ink that read,

 **Miss. H. P. Garwin**

 **Third Door on the left on the First Floor**

 **Queen Victoria Road 13**

 **Blackpool, Lancashire**

and on the back was a red, wax seal that had some kind of crest on it. There were four animals in the corners. A snake, a lion, an eagle and a badger. It was the Hogwarts house crest, Holly realised and wondered what the animals might mean. Not being the most patient one, Holly nearly tore open the envelope and found two pieces of yellow-ish paper folded together. On the first one, again in emerald ink stood in swirling letters.

 ** _Dear Miss Garwin_**

 ** _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._**

 ** _Terms begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July_**

 ** _Yours Sincerely_**

 ** _Minerva McGonagall_**

 ** _Deputy Headmistress_**

Holly looked up from the letter at the professor.

"But that's you, en't it?"

The black-haired witch gave a single nod, a little to the side.

"Yes, as well as being a professor teaching at the school, I also happen to be the Headmistress and Head of one of the school houses"

Holly wanted to ask about what the last part meant, but the witch gestured for her to look at the second page.

 ** _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_**

 **Uniform**

 ** _First-year students will require:_**

 ** _Three sets of plain work robes (black)_**

 ** _One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_**

 ** _One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_**

 ** _4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_**

 ** _Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._**

 **Course Books**

 ** _All students should have a copy of each of the following:_**

 ** _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ by Miranda Goshawk**

 ** _A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot**

 ** _Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling**

 ** _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch**

 ** _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ by Phyllida Spore**

 ** _Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger**

 ** _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander**

 ** _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ by Quentin Trimble**

 **Other Equipment**

 ** _1 Wand_**

 ** _1 Cauldron (Pewter, standard size two)_**

 ** _1 set glass or crystal phials_**

 ** _1 Telescope_**

 ** _1 Set brass scales_**

 ** _Students may also bring, if they desire, an_ owl _or a_ cat _or a_ toad**

 ** _Parents are reminded that first-years are not allowed their own broomstick_**

 ** _Yours sincerely_**

 ** _Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_**

 ** _Chief Attendant of Witchcraft and Provisions_**

After having read it through twice, Holly gave the letters to her father's open and waiting hand, then looking at McGonagall again.

"Where do you by all of this? I mean, I haven't seen any shops in Blackpool or even London with all of this, is there, like a special secret magic shop hidden somewhere?"

She wondered if they could go today. If it was quite far and if she could get other things like Seven League Boots, flying carpets, spinning wheels spinning gold or tonics that made you shrink and grow. Did they have magic mirrors that talked to you, did animals talk, was objects alive?

All those questions and a million more swirled in the in her head, feeling like a maelstrom, going around and round.

"Of a kind, the details are explained in the second letter. But in short, there is a pub in London called the Leaky Cauldron, which is a magical spot with the entrance to the shopping street, Diagon Alley. The location is listed in the letter but when your parents see it, all they'll see is a rundown building, but you will be able to see the pub, when you go in ask for Tom, the barman and he'll help you're out" McGonagall explained.

Holly cocked her head slightly and asked

"Why won't they be able to see?"

"Yes, I'll like to know that too" her father said, looking a bit offended. McGonagall sighed, adjusting her glasses.

"Because there is a perception spell placed on the building, anyone without magic will only see the illusion. It is done so no muggle will accidentally stumble in, thinking it is a regular pub"

Holly thought that was very neat and probably very useful. Her parents looked uncomfortable by the idea. McGonagall stated all other practical information was stated in the letter and after answering a few more questions, she told them that she had to get going. They all stood by the door, Holly shaking the older woman's hand with her parents standing at her side.

"I do hope to see you miss Garwin the first of September, until then, enjoy your summer"

Then she went out the door but when Holly ran to the living room window to watch her go, she was amazed to see that McGonagall had already disappeared.

' _What a peculiar person_ ' Holly thought, sounding like her mother when they met weird people.

After that, her parents said they would start supper and Holly was too full of wonder, to ponder of the oddness of _both_ of them doing it. Usually it was one or the other, letting their partner to work or to entertain Holly. However, Holly was occupied with all the information she had gotten over such a short time, and she went straight up to her room where she laid flat on her stomach in her bed and opened up the second letter.

Like McGonagall said, it was mostly just directions to the pub, told the parents to bring along their child and ask for Tom. Though it also explained that muggle money wasn't of any use, how they had to exchange it in a bank called Gringotts which was located in Diagon Alley.

Then there was a bit about a train station platform called 9 3/4 at Kings Cross, and how they had to run into a wall!

"Magic people are weird" Holly mumbled, thinking about all the hoops one had to jump through just to get to a school. Was hiding their existence really that important? She personally thought that having magic everywhere would be, well, magical.

' _Then again…'_ Holly remembered when they learned about the witch hunts hundreds of years ago, how they burned or hanged witches. Her teacher had always said it came from superstition and hysteria and none of those people were witches.

But what if they were? Then it was obvious why they didn't want muggles to know about them, it that got them burned.

Holly read the first letter again, setting the other aside for her parents. They would need to know those things. She couldn't wait to get her hands on everything the school demanded, especially the wand and some of the books. Not the History one, 'cause, Holly never particularly liked history. She found it very boring and was not the least bit interested in what people had done long ago in places she wasn't. The name of the authors was rather silly sounding, but she liked them for not being boring. Then there was the talk about bringing animals. That excited her almost as much as knowing dragons existed, but why only those three? Couldn't you bring a dog, or maybe a parrot?

Holly had never been allowed pets, not after the goldfish and then the cacti had died.

She had felt very guilty, she had, or at least for the fish. Although fish wasn't a very fun animal to have, as they did very little. It had been named Hook, because she liked the character in Peter Pan and because she thought it was ironic. He was buried outside in the garden by a small, fish-less pond they had.

If she could choose herself, Holly would want an owl, because it sounded brilliant to have something that none of the kids in the neighbourhood had. A thought struck the her; were there other kids with magical in her neighbourhood? Could there be someone living close by, who felt just as out of place and never having known why? Holly wanted to know, but how would she go about it. She couldn't very well knock of every door and ask the children if they were magical. Not only would that take a lot of time, but she was pretty sure that was breaking that law Mrs. McGonagall talked about.

"Holly, dinner is ready!" her mother's voice called from downstairs, pulling Holly out of her thoughts. She got up from the bed, about to go down stairs when she realised she was still in her uniform. She went to the door and called "Be there in a minute" and then began changing.

The Hawes Side Academy had red cardigans, a black skirt with black tights and a white polo shirt. This day, regardless of McGonagall's visit, had been the last day she would wear the uniform for school. She had been looking quite forward to that, to make a new start somewhere else.

She pulled on a pair of blue trousers and white and light green stripped blouse, putting her hair in a ponytail and headed downstairs.

Her parents were already sitting in their usual seats, waiting for her. It looked like tonight was pie and mash. Holly eagerly sat down, stomach rumbling in responds.

Despite Holly wanting to talk about everything McGonagall had told them, they ate in silence. Even she could sense the sombre mood rolling of her parents and she knew that this was times when all they wanted to do was think. So, she stayed silent, biting her tongue about Hogwarts and magic every time anything was said. Holly was ready to burst when she was excused from clearing the table and she scurried up to her room, mostly just to get away. She looked at the letters, the torn wax seal. She found every book she had that contained magic and skimmed through them. She was reading Mathilda when her mom came up and reminded her it was bedtime. Holly would usually try and get that time extended, but one look at her mother's face told her that is wouldn't be good. So, she went and cleaned up, brushing her teeth and unruly straw-coloured hair before getting her nighty on and crawling into bed.

When they came up to say goodnight, Holly handed her father the second letter which he took with a stiff arm. But when they left, turning off the lights, Holly found that she could not sleep.

Her whole body fluttered, as if moths were trapped in her stomach.

Curiosity kept her awake with wonderings and how much she longed for the day to buy her new school stuff and then for the first of September.

Much later that night, when Holly had fallen into something of a light, twitching slumber, she was awoken by her need to use the bathroom. On the way back to her room, Holly heard voices from downstairs and noticed the lights coming from the closed living room door.

' _They normally never close that door'_ she thought, stopping by the top of the stairs. The voices grew louder, not very far from yelling but not something that would have woken her up by any means if she had been sleeping normally. Slowly, Holly crept down the steps, avoiding the steps that she knew were creaky. Half crawling, like some wild cat stalking its prey, Holly slithered downstairs and towards the door. It was clear that her parents were having a heated argument, but what about, she couldn't tell yet.

Pressing one ear against the smooth wood, the voices became clearer, though the door muffled a lot of it.

"We'll refuse, we-we'll just not show up" the deep voice, her father said, and Holly was surprised by the stutter. Her father was never in doubt, he always knew what to do, he always stuck to his beliefs and didn't waver.

"But the accidents, the glass shattering, what if it continues? What if it gets worse?" her mother spoke, a slight tremor could be heard even through the door.

' _They're talking about me'_ Holly realised, pressing harder and wishing she had a water glass or something, like they did in the movies. Steps, trudging against the floorboards in a heavy manner. Her father when he was pacing.

"We know nothing about this place or the Headmaster, can't even find it on a map" her father scoffed.

It had never occurred to Holly that her parents might not be as thrilled as she was by the news. For her, it was exciting and new. It was a reason to why she had felt different and out of sorts with the other children and it meant that she was not alone. However, she had noticed that a lot of adults didn't like big changes or for things not to go according to plan. They probably had a plan for her, what she was supposed to do when she grew up and had to get a job.

Her father had already talked of Cambridge and Oxford universities, asking Holly want she wanted to do with her life. Her usual responds were Inventor or an explore.

A stomach-churning thought began forming in her mind.

What if they wouldn't let her go?

' _I could run away, get there on my own'_ but then she remembered what her father said, about not being able to find the school on a map. Besides, she would need money for the supply and was sure her allowance would not cover it.

' _I must simply convince them'_ was her decision. A scuffle, a chair scrapping against the floorboards and Holly knew it was time to scram back up to her room. She managed to do it very quickly and quietly, so that when she heard the living room door open, she was already in her room and in bed.

With determination about her resolution, Holly pulled the duvet all the way up to her chin and let her eyelids droop until they closed, and she fell asleep with dreams filled with dragons, tricky mirrors and birds that fluttered and twinkled.


	2. Chapter 2 - Grandma Georgie

**So, second chapter, I have written five and wanted to see if anyone liked the idea, I am working on the sixth but am trying to seperate is from the books.**

 **I do hope there is not too many spelling mistakes, as english is not my native language.**

* * *

 **Chapter II**

"We are going to your grandma" said her mother the next morning, and it seemed that as soon as she'd uttered the words, Holly was in the backseat of their grey car with a rucksack beside her.

They drove in silence, only the radio breaking it with songs and adverts. Holly would've liked to hum along whenever a song she knew came on, but remembering last night and her parent's demeanour, she stayed quiet and keep her excitement to herself.

She had wanted to speak to her grandma, anyhow, though her plan had been to call her or maybe take the bus since she hadn't expected her parents to go. This way was far easier, although, not completely comfortable. There was a pressure in the car, feeling a bit like when you went diving a bit too far down. The way the water would press on your ears and your chest would feel slightly caved in as the heart sounded loud.

Her eyes moved from the buildings rushing by, towards her mother and father, who both looked as if they tried to imitate statues. They hardly looked back at her, though Holly caught them glancing in the back-view mirror and they weren't looking at traffic. Her hand balled up to a fist on her lap. In the pit of her stomach, something was beginning to burn, like coal in a hearth.

Seething, Holly decided that if they were gonna ignore her, she would return the favour and she sat in a bitter silence for the remainder of the way, while houses thinned out and fields and trees became plentiful.

Grandma Georgie lived in the small village of Knott End-On-Sea. It was quite small, not containing a whole lot or that many people. Holly had spent many summers here, playing in the grasslands and on the beach.

From her seat, Holly could spot familiar faces but even when they saw her and waved, she did not return the gesture as she still fumed. However, she did perk a bit up when they passed the small pub named _Raven and the Writing Desk,_ clearly taken from Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland books. It held many fond memories for Holly, being as her grandma was the owner. It was a quaint place that mostly catered to locals and the occasional tourist or wanderer. Holly had helped cook the food and learned to pour drinks, but in truth she was more there as a mascot that was adored for her energy and liveliness. Grandpa Elias would perform his stage magic in the evenings, wowing everyone with his skills. Holly stared after the building as they drove on, wondering if all that magic had been real? Or maybe it was simply a mix of it, some sleight of hand and other, properly when he used the wand, was the real deal.

It both saddened and annoyed her that her grandpa had said nothing to her, even when she yelled at the unfairness when she was blamed for things she couldn't explain. And then he had gone and died, only last year in spring. Holly wanted to be mad at him, but it was difficult holding a grudge against someone who wasn't even alive and besides, she was still sad about him passing away.

Grandma's house was a bit away from the pub. It was a stone cottage with a sort of crooked roof and ivy vines climbing up the sides, sending its tendrils everywhere it could cling on to. Holly always liked the climbing plant, but her grandma had explained it was not good for her house and so she tried getting rid of it when she could.

They weren't even out of the car before the red door of the cottage sprung up and out came granny Georgie with her hair in a braid, clogs and her ladybug pattern jumper.

As soon as Holly saw that bright, wrinkled-as-bark face, she all but tore the door open and ran into the open arms of her grandma.

"Oh, 'Ello Gumdrop, I've missed you" the old woman said, squeezing Holly with her willowy arms. It was as if the anger that had been burning her insides, like acid, eating away at her, had been doused. A cool sort of solace washed over her as her grandma hugged her.

When her parents joined them, the two let go. A part of her wanted to protest but at the same time, she refused to cling like a baby to her grandma.

"Hello mother" Holly's mother said in a placid manner. Georgie smiled and gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek and said "What a surprise, calling out of the blue and tellin' me your coming, usually you plan these things in advance and I know I'm not supposed to have Holly for another two weeks. But never mind that, come in, come in, I've just put the kettle on"

She ushered them in where they hung their coats and put their shoes.

The inside of the stone cottage could be described as _Homely_ with wood being the main theme of the interior. Pictures of the whole family decorated the wall and Holly always enjoyed watching those of herself, often in the company of her grandparents, laughing and smiling at the camera. A small parrot with yellow and green plumage sat inside an open cage, using its beak to break seeds open. Holly went over to the bird, who stopped and cocked its head to look at her.

"Hello, Jabby, how's gran treatin' ya, I hope she hasn't given you too much food or you won't be able to fly around" Holly greeted the parrot.

Her grandma gave a snort of indignation.

"I am sure I don't know what you are talking about, your cheek, got a right mouth on ya, don't you? Face sweet as a lily in May, but underneath that, it's all prickly like a bramble bush"

Holly smiled unabashed, rather liking the sound of that. She knew that there was an art to deceive people, to let them believe one thing while keeping the other thing hidden.

Jabby, the parrot, gave a small hoarse sounding " _Hey-ay_ " before returning to its bowl with sunflower seeds, taking one up with his claw with accuracy that not even she possessed.

The pleasant atmosphere was almost all together ruined as soon as her parents finally entered.

' _Probably talking about me when I am out of ear-shot, discussing what to say to grandma'_ Holly thought sourly, her eyes trailing to the wooden floor.

"Mom, we need to talk to you about, eh, a somewhat _delicate_ matter" her mother said, the fidgeting from yesterday gone and replaced with the placid and cool manner. Holly scowled, though her back was mostly turned away from the entrance to the living room, she turned her head and let her eyes rest on her mother. When they all sat down, Holly opted to sit in the sofa with her grandma instead with her parents.

Grandma had fetched the kettle and there were four bone china tea cups resting on saucers on the oblong coffee table. Neither her mother or father had touched the sweet-smelling drink and Holly refused to act pleasant, so only her grandma sipped before placing it down and looking her daughter in the eyes.

"So?" she dragged the word out long and purposely, "I gathered that this visit came with a reason, one far too great for a mere phone call and I know that expression all too well, it means I have done something to upset you"

Holly's mother didn't need any more than that to begin.

"Yes, mom, I am upset with you, no, no actually, I am _furious_ with you! You, who always preached until my ears bled about honesty, have lied to me for years, 'cause I know you _know,_ I mean how could you not? Dad was a horrible liar and you are like a bloody bloodhound on two legs, there is no way he could have kept that big of a secret hidden from you. So? Did you cover for him, eh? Pretend all his tricks was really all just stage magic and pretend that you were a normal couple- "

"We were, sweetheart" Grandma Georgie cut in, but didn't get to continue as her mother had barely stopped ranting and just threw a blazing glare.

"All the while lying to your own kids! We had to hear about this magical world from a stranger, a stranger, mom! How dad was a bleeding wizard that went to a wizard school and just like that," she snapped her fingers, "our lives, turned upside down, without warning or hint to prepare us, so yes, _mom_ , I am cross with you"

It became quiet, only the low warbling of Jabby in his cage was audible. Holly had really wanted to jump up in her grandma's defence, but she was rather shocked by her mother's outburst and suddenly wondering if temper ran in the family's women. Tessa, was not a woman prone to shouting, preferring using words and her demanding presence.

If the yelling had bothered grandma, Holly couldn't see it. She looked as calm as before, although there was a glint in her eyes that shinned through. A moment passed before her grandma spoke.

"I see, so I guess that means…." she trailed off, eyes straying to Holly, who fought against the anxious foot tapping that she felt in her restless leg. Like a balloon letting out air, her mother sort of collapsed slightly in on herself and into the sofa, the anger softening, and she just looked more tired than anything else.

"Yes, Holly is apparently a witch, just like dad was, but you have known this for a while, haven't you?" the last bit was an accusation.

This was something Holly was quite interested in too, which was why she became hurt and upset when her grandma turned to her and said "Gumdrop, why don't you go play in the garden, so your parents and I can have a chat?"

Holly's eyes went wide, and her mouth hung open for a second. Anger coiled inside of her, hissing and spitting. She could simply not believe her ears. Grandma Georgie was pushing her _aside._ She wanted to shout, just as she had her parents the day before, but her grandma must have seen it because she quickly added.

"I promise we'll speak later and there won't be any secret keeping, I just need a word with your mum and dad, you know, calm them down a bit" she whispered the last part so close to Holly's ear, that she could smell the peppermint scent that always wafted off her grandma.

This did appease her, a little, though still not at all happy about the whole thing.

So, she grabbed her boots and jacket and went outside, around the house and out in the garden, making sure to slam the door on the way out.

Grandma's garden wasn't overly lavish like Granny Mae's, on her dad's side, but like the cottage it had a homely and modest feel. There was a small wooden patio attached to the cottage, where two chairs and a table stood. It was surrounded by a flowerbed that stretched all the way from one end of the garden to the other and it was filled with honeysuckles, Wendy's Wishes, Powwow, Wild Berry and Autumn Fire. Between the vibrant coloured flowers and twisting Corkscrew Hazel, stood patches of Grey Lamb's ears that looked soft to the touch.

A wind chime hung by the patio and made music with the wind as it clanged together and from the small stream at the end of the garden, the gurgling of water could be heard. From a chestnut tree hung a swing that grandpa Elias had hung when Holly was about five and that was where she went to sit and silently fume.

' _It's not fair. It's me they're talking about_ ' Holly thought, pushing against the ground but not enough to actually swing. She did not feel in the mood for that, because she knew she loved the feeling of air rushing by and the speed, and right now she wanted to stay mad at everyone.

That plan, of course, did not succeed. It did not take long for Holly to get bored with silent anger, it was a lot less satisfying when there was no one around to witness it and pushed off hard against the ground. Going up, up and using her body as momentum.

When she was at her highest, she let go and soared through the air. Maybe she would fly again, be almost weightless, but no. She landed hard on her legs and had to take a little tumble in the grass, not caring that she got grass stains all over her trousers.

She went again and again before deciding to try and catch frogs by the stream.

There were none, but she did spot a black salamander with an orange belly. Sometimes she would glance towards the cottage, trying to see through the windows but her grandma had been clever and pulled the white curtains to cover.

When the thought of abandoning the garden and walk into town came into her head, the backdoor opened and her grandma stood there. It was as if she could sense when Holly had a notion of doing something she wasn't supposed to.

' _Bloodhound'_ that seemed to fit her grandma nicely, nose for trouble, not her own but everybody else's'. The old woman beckoned her over, curling a single finger at her, and Holly obliged as she was rather impatient. Before they went inside, her grandma grabbed her by the shoulders and bended down, so she was at Holly's eye level. The biggest grin Holly had ever seen, had split across her grandma's face, her bright blue eyes looking straight into her own brown ones.

"I am so proud of you and Elias would be too, he always used to say _'That girl is magic, I know it, and I'll betcha she will make a bloody good witch. I tell you, if she has half as much magic as she has gumption, you'll be able to read about her one day'_ , though he went on for quite a long time, that old fool".

Bitterness was replaced by a longing, a longing for hearing those words herself and to show her grandpa that he had been right. To show him, that his magic had passed on and she was magical too.

The two of them shared a small hug before going inside. The first thing that Holly noticed was how close her parents sat together, almost huddled. The second was that both their eyes were reddish, her mother's more. Had they been crying? But even then, the air felt clearer and not so compressed that you would be able to carve it. The talk must have done some good.

It took a moment for her parents to notice that they had come in and when they did, they gave a small startled jerk. Quickly, the frown on their faces was replaced by small smiles.

Holly's mother stood up and gave her a hug. It felt like a knot had loosened up inside her.

"Sweetie, what would say to stay at your grandma's for the rest of the week?" her mother asked when she drew back.

It was Holly's turn to frown. Stepping out of the embrace, she took a moment to really look at her mother. She looked…tired, exhausted, missing the usual spark that resided in her.

Holly bit her lower lip, stopping the stubborn _No!_ from leaving her lips. It was clear, her parents wanted to avoid her and so, a part of her wanted to say no because that was the opposite of what _they_ wanted. However, looking at her mother's face, tracing the faint wrinkles that seemed to have become deeper, looking like furrows, Holly found herself nodding.

She wanted to talk to grandma Georgie anyway, about her grandpa and magic and that would probably be easier without them hanging around.

Still, it did not mean Holly wasn't angry at them just dumping her here.

Her father also gave her a hug and soon after, her and Georgie stood by the front door, waving as the grey car pulled out and drove away. Holly felt cold, even if there was little to no wind and the sun still shone warmly.

"Come on, gumdrop, I think it is time for our talk now" her grandma said, and Holly knew she was right, still lingering in the doorway even as the car had gone. She closed the door, both there and somewhere inside of her.

Georgie led her to the living room where the tray with tea and just like Holly's mother had done with the professor, fetched a plate of biscuits. These however were Holly's favourite, chocolate bourbons, and it gave her the inkling that it was to butter her up. Grandpa Elias would always bribe her with sweets or jokes when she got mad at him. Funnily enough, the jokes often worked better than the treats, though she never would refuse them.

They sat so they could talk face to face, but still on the same sofa. Georgie poured some tea up in a clean cup and put both honey and milk in it before pushing it towards Holly. Then she poured a cup for herself but put nothing in it. Holly had never understood that, finding it rather hard to drink tea without sweetening it, the same with coffee. Her father drank it black, her mother used a half spoon of sugar and Holly had only been able to after making is more of a Cafe Latte then anything.

"Now, I'm guessing you have a lot of questions and I promise I will try and answer them all"

Holly opened her mouth but quickly shut it. Just a few moments ago her head been a maelstrom of questions, kept at bay by only sheer will. Now, her head felt empty. Like all those things had spiralled into the drain of a sink. There was only one that persisted, maybe because it wasn't located in her head but rather in the pit of her stomach.

"Why did grandpa never tell me?" Holly asked, her voice much smaller than usual. She knew that was the question most important to her, because she kept thinking how much better things would've have been if she had known about her being a witch and how wonderful it would've been, him teaching her magic.

Her grandma leaned back into the sofa with her cup of tea, the liquid still steaming up and swirling when the older woman let out a breath.

"I'm not completely sure, Gumdrop. Your grandfather was always quite mysterious in his ways."

She took a small sip of the tea, Holly still having not picked hers up, having no appetite for it and then continued.

"I think he wanted to protect you, trying to give you as normal a childhood for as long as possible, he didn't want you to feel that you were different,"

"But I am!" Holly cut in, her fingers curling inwards. For so long, she had known there was something odd about her, or at least that odd things seemed to happen around her. It had been years since she had felt anything like the other children in her neighbourhood, becoming more and more alone.

"And he _knew_ and so did you, but you just pretended! You've lied to me!"

The last part she spat out in accusation. They had never said anything about magic. Her grandpa had been lying to her, covering up that he knew exactly what was going on with her and she couldn't understand why.

Her grandma looked at her, her blue eyes sharp as ever without any sign of age or that they had dimmed from the cobalt blue colour. Holly had always been a bit jealous of her family's eyes, beside her mother, every last one of them had vibrant colours that stood out. Her father had hazel eyes, her grandfathers had been green and even though her mother's eyes were brown is was very rich and dark. Hers, by comparison, was a very light brown that appeared faded, like clay that had been left out in the sun to dry.

Right now, those dark blue eyes held Holly and it willed her to calm down without her grandma even having to say a word. Holly didn't exactly calm down, more like simmering down. It helped that Holly saw some guilt creep into her grandma's wrinkled face. Holly had had enough of the stony expression from her parents all yesterday evening and all of this morning.

A calloused hand wrapped around one of hers. Without realising it, Holly had hung her head a small bit, trying to get some kind of handle on the raging inferno of feelings that all swirled around in her body and gave her something akin to a stomach ache. Her first instinct was to pull her hand away, maybe just curl up? It was getting hard to tell _what_ she wanted to do.

Yell, hit, cry, laugh, scream or just run up to the guest room she could practically call her own?

"I'm sorry, sweetie, I did try and talk to him about it, but he was rigid in not telling you, even when I knew he was delighted that magic had survived in his family."

Her grandma's voice was kind, filled with empathy and although Holly still had some anger in her body, she didn't want to take it out on her grandma. Her head was spinning, it was as if her world was a puzzle and someone had told her it was wrong, then proceeded to throw all the pierces up in the air and tell her to figure it out from there, with scattered pierces everywhere.

So, the only way she could figure out how to put the puzzle back together again in a different way, was to learn everything that she could about what she didn't know. Grandma Georgie was all too happy to answer all the questions that Holly spewed out at lightning speed.

What kind of magic could grandpa do? Did he ever do real magic in his small shows? What kind of wand did he have? Had her grandma ever seen some magical creatures like dragons, unicorns, trolls or fairies? What kind of clothes did magic people wear? Was it really black robes and pointed hats? Did witches ride on brooms? And on and on.

By the time her grandma had managed to answer most questions to the best of her ability, all the tea was gone and so were the biscuits and it was around two o'clock in the afternoon.

Her grandma, noticing this, commented "Time sure does fly" and then said she would prepare some lunch. Holly wanted to talk more about the wizarding world, but her stomach growled in protest and she followed her grandma out into the kitchen, carrying the empty cups and plate on a tray. They fixed up some sandwiches, Holly getting hers with tuna mousse and her grandma with slices of beef. It was too late to make anything heavy and her grandma promised to make Toad-in-the-Hole for dinner, so Holly was happy with a light lunch. Especially when, afterwards, her grandma found some Eccles cakes only bought yesterday.

They decided to sit outside, the weather still being somewhat warm. This time, her grandma told the story of how she and grandpa Elias met.

"I worked in a pub, mostly behind the bar but I also flirted a bit with singing. Your grandpa walked in and I couldn't take my eyes of him"

Holly made a face, thinking this was gonna be some sugary, romantic tale that the older girls in school loved to gush about. Her grandma must have seen it and quickly said

"Ah, nothing like that, the reason I couldn't take my eyes off him was because of his clothes. He wore these checkered pants, white and red stripped blazer, a yellow attempt at a bowtie, a purple vest over the blazer and a Sherlock Holmes hat on."

Holly had a hard time picturing this sort of attire. She herself had not much head for clothes, just taking on what she liked, but her father was, she knew, considered very stylish and would probably faint at that sort of get-up.

Grandpa Elias had always been an eccentric dresser, looking like he always lacked behind with the current trends and was sometimes perplexed by some accessories or their purpose.

"Yeah, he looked like a right tosser and he even tried buying a drink called Butterbeer and pay in some copper coins he called Knuts, when he was told they couldn't accept the current he looked so sad that I gave him a pint on the house. I guessed he was just a foreigner that somehow spoke English very well" Her grandma shrugged, but she had this secret little smile in the corner of her mouth.

"We got talking after that, and I found him sort of interesting, mostly because of how little he seemed to know about the world, he kept asking about the pool table and I ended up showing him it in my break"

She kept telling about how grandpa Elias was hopeless in almost anything and also confused with things like a taxi and were actually sort of scared of them, calling them 'Metal-boxes-of-death. Apparently, grandma Georgie had gotten intrigued by his odd behaviour and found it kind of endearing. Enough for her to begin to like him and vice versa. Her family didn't approve of their relationship, especially when he wouldn't let her meet his parents.

"I thought he was ashamed of being with me, because it was clear that he was from a family with wealth even if his education in common things were lacking, that maybe being together with a girl from a lower standing family and who worked in a pub was not right and I was a sort of secret. I was ready to walk, not wanting to be with someone that wouldn't marry me because of my station in life" her grandma breathed out, not in a sad or angry way, more like she was just remembering a not so pleasant period in her life.

"That was when he told me, I of course didn't believe him at first and actually became sort of scared, I knew he was eccentric, but with the talk of magic and wizards, I thought he was right bonkers and delusional, but after he spelled my plant to reach the ceiling, I had a hard time denying it"

Holly thought back to yesterday with the professor waving her wand and making small birds come out. She wondered what she had done to convince her parents? Maybe something similar to make things bigger or making them float? Holly didn't know if there was a spell for floating, but she imagined there would be.

"He then explained to me why he never mentioned his family and why he didn't want them to meet me. Apparently, some magic families look down on us without magic and see us as inferior and more of a pestilence, his family was, I suppose, one of them. He knew how they would react to him being together with a muggle and he was right, he was disowned after he proposed to me"

Something not entirely like pain, crossed her grandma's face. Holly had wanted to ask about her grandpa's family, but that expression stopped her. Grandma Georgie, however, didn't have that face on for long and she began telling tale after tale of grandpa Elias being hopeless in almost every aspect of the muggle world. Luckily, at that period in time, it was easier to get jobs without degrees and he apparently worked in a lot of odd jobs until he found something he was actual good at. Clocks. He was amazing with small details became quite famous in that closed circle of watch makers.

It was getting cold and dark when her grandma decided it was time to begin making supper and even though Holly offered to help, her grandma said it was fine and to go and relax. It ended up with Holly turning on the telly but not really watching the nature program about bears.

It felt like that for the last two days, someone had been filling her head up and it was threatening to spill over. In what seemed like hours had her whole world been turned upside down and it was hard to figure out if it was for the best or worst.

On one hand, she had finally gotten answers about her oddness and found out a secret about her family, on the other hand…. Holly couldn't shake her parents faces and behaviour towards her out of her head. It felt like she had both gained and lost something important.

She changed channel and some cartoon were showing but again, Holly couldn't focus. Her body was sort of buzzing. Like that time when they went to Mr. Abercrombie's farm and Jeremiah, one of the older boys there, dared her to touch the electric fence that kept the goats in.

That tingly, feeling itching underneath the skin. The one that made you want to move, speed around and climb a tree all at the same time.

She changed the channel again, this time landing on a program she actually liked _A Touch of Frost_. Her other grandpa, Tobias Greenwood, had shown her murder mysteries since she was five, like Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Columbo and Poirot. Her mother thought it was unhealthy, her father didn't think anything of it as long as it didn't cause nightmares or for her to go out and be all Nancy Drew.

Detective Frost had caught the criminal when her grandma called for dinner, the scent of sausages, garlic and rosemary wafted from the kitchen into the living room where the small round table stood. Her grandma did have a bigger table, but she usually did get a lot of guest at the same time and if there was any event, it was held at the pub.

The topic now varied a bit more. Her grandma asked about the latest incidents that involved Holly accidentally using magic. Holly told about the tree and the floating, about the ball flying and that time she managed to break a glass that her headmaster was holding as he was scolding her for another incident.

Grandma Georgie enjoyed that far more than when her parents heard it over the phone. Then again, from what grandpa Elias had told, Georgie had been somewhat of a rebel back in the days. Hanging out with the wrong crowd, drinking and smoking. He used to say it was sort of a miracle that she was alive today and Holly did not doubt him.

At the end of the day, Holly felt content. She was laying in her bed, the quilt her grandma made years ago, covering her and the blanket. The room was mostly in warm, orange, wood and reddish colours. There were still some of her teddy bears that she hadn't touch in two years, framed drawings hung on the walls, most of them drawn by her grandpa. Most of them were of detailed clocks he wanted to make or were paid to design. Everything about this room made it impossible to stay awake and just a few minutes after she fell into a deep and satisfying slumber.


	3. Chapter 3 - Grandpa Elias

**So...third chapter, a secret has been revealed. How will her parents react.**

* * *

 **Chapter III**

The first morning after, Holly woke to her grandma having made Eggy-in-a-Basket. Holly had asked more questions which had prompted the older woman to have her follow to the attic.

The attic was not the easiest located for a sixty-seven-year-old woman, being at the top and with one of those pull-down ladders. Holly always loved it up there, it felt like being in a hidden lair filled with treasures and secrets. Well, it turned out the second one was right and sort of the first. It was quite clear Georgie had not been up there for a while. Stale air practically fell down, heavy from particles and dust. With a bit of wobbling, grandma Georgie was up that ladder with Holly following after, still in her pyjamas and dressing gown.

There wasn't a lot of light up in the attic, the only window being a small round one at the end that hadn't been cleaned in a while. There was a lightbulb with a string that her grandma pulled and the room was lit up. The space was mostly made up of old furniture, boxes filled with clothes that was modern twenty years ago and had been great for dress up. Holly knew there was a box filled with sport stuff, like rackets and running shoes.

At the other end, away from the window, grandma stood by the wooden chest. Holly had seen it before when she played up there, but it had always been locked up tight and when she asked about it her grandparents would always get this little secretively smile and say it was grandpa's secret to his magic tricks. That turned out to be sort of true. After they somehow got it down, grandma claiming she refused to stay up there where it smelled of Elias's old robes.

Her grandma went to her bedroom that was on the opposite end of the guest one and Holly could hear a drawer being open, then she came back with an old, brass key that looked to be same color at the lock in the chest. She put it in and turned. It opened with a small _clok._

Inside what only could be described as a treasure chest, there was trinkets and magic things galore. Several books that looked worn and smelled old, some of them had the same titles as the ones on her list. Holly would pull things out and her grandma explained what they were.

A small, golden telescope, "That's a lunascope, it shows the phases of the moon"

A box that was able to fold out, with something rattling inside it, "That is wizard chess, the rules are the same as normal chase but there is a twist to it".

A round, see-through sphere the size of a marble with some white smoke inside, "Oh, I got that for him, since he was so forgetful, it's called a Remembrall, the smoke turns red if you have forgotten something"

Holly frowned at the ball, "But if you've forgotten something and can't remember, how does red smoke supposed to help you?" she asked.

Grandma Georgie gave a small chuckle and answered "Yeah, well, it can help to be reminded"

Next, she dug a small box up where inside there these five-sided, colourful cards. It reminded Holly of those cards you could get with football players or any kind of sport really. She had some baseball cards herself. Just like the books, the names and even the people looked kind of silly to her. There was Artemisia Lufkin, the first witch to become Minister for Magic. Beaumont Marjoribanks, a pioneer in Herbology. Cliodne, an Irish druidess who discovered the properties of moondew. Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders of Hogwarts and so many more. What really surprised Holly was the fact that the people on the card would disappear and reappear at random.

"Yeah, you can't expect them to hang around all day, can you?" was her grandma's answer and Holly had to admit to the logic of that.

"They are called Wizard Cards, they come with these sweets called Chocolate Frogs, oh Elias had a big laugh the first time one of those jumped out at me"

"Wait, they move!" Holly exclaimed, it was bad enough those pictures she had seen on the Newspaper named Daily Prophet, now candy jumped?

"Well, they only have one good hop in them, don't worry, they are spelled that way" her grandma waved her hand nonchalantly, then added "You'll find out quickly that magic folk is rather…silly".

Holly gave her an incredulous look but let it lie. She found a black cauldron, one that she was pretty sure she had seen before, maybe at one of his magic shows. The one with the bird coming out of it? There was a tie coloured green with silver stripes.

There was also a teacup at the bottom, which puzzled Holly a bit. She picked it up, surprised it wasn't broken or chipped. She was about to bring it closer to her face when her grandma yelled

"No, don't get that thing near your nose!"

Suddenly, the edges of the teacup turned to teeth and snapped shut!

"What the-!" Holly exclaimed, dropping the cup that snapped shut once more and didn't break.

Her grandma picked it up by the handle, edges snapping shut, and placed it away from them.

"Nose biting teacup, a magical prank object that his friend Septimus send him for Christmas" Grandma Georgie explained like it was no big deal.

' _Wizards must be a mad lot if they think that is funny'_ Holly thought, eying the teacup that now looked deceivingly normal. The chest was almost empty at this point, there was some robes that didn't smell as bad as grandma had made it out, just a bit dusty.

There were a few more books, one particular caught her eye with the whimsical title of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_. It seemed to be a sort of children's book and she put it aside for a read later, like she had done with most books. School might not start before the first of September, but with no friends and a lot of free time, she was going to absorb as much about magic as she could.

"Oh, I forgot about this, haven't had it out for years" her grandma said, pulling what looked like a photo album out. It was thick with a leather binding and the word _Memories_ written in golden letters on the front. Holly, curious to see what was inside, shuffled closer to her grandma and was surprised to find that the pictures moved there too, just like the newspaper.

They were of different people, all moving in a sort of loop but one without an abrupt ending. One of the pictures were of four young guys, everyone wearing robes with green and silver and all laughing hard. The one in the middle, seemed kind of familiar.

He had wavy, dark brown hair and green-blueish eyes and he looked a bit bigger than the other boys. It took a moment, then she realised who it was.

"Is that grandpa?" she asked, pointing at the young man. Her grandma nodded, a nostalgic smile upon her face. "Yes, he was on his last year in Hogwarts, seventeen years and something of a trouble maker, those three others were in his so called 'gang'"

She pointed to a boy with almost white, blonde hair that looked unkempt. His eyes were dark grey, and he was currently holding one arm around her grandpa's neck in an almost chock hold.

"That one is Septimus, he is one of the few mates from Hogwarts who he stayed in contact with after leaving and after marrying me, like his family, some of his friends also cut him off when he decided to live in the muggle world".

Holly thought that might explain why grandpa Elias never seemed to have any friends over, her father had commented how it seemed that Elias' life hadn't begun before he met grandma Georgie. No family, no friends from beyond that point.

"Did Septimus ever visit?" she asked.

Grandma nodded "Yeah, once in a while, never when any of you were here, couldn't risk you finding out and Septimus was even worse than your grandpa at navigating in the muggle world"

Then she pointed the other two out, a small boy with light brown hair and a gangly giant with black hair and green eyes.

"That's Gideon and the long fellow is Nicolas, never met them, from what I get they drifted apart" grandma Georgie explained. The next couple of hours were spent like that. Looking at old photos and her explaining it to Holly. The most recent ones were of a young grandma Georgie with her flaming red hair and blue eyes, and a young grandpa Elias. There were Christmases, Halloweens, just normal days. There were pictures of her mother growing up and a few of her as a baby and toddler, bumbling around.

There were one, Holly didn't know who had taken it, because of it was if the three of them together. Grandma was holding onto a one-year old Holly, her curly hair already showing and grandpa Elias in front of them, doing a magic track of making flowers bloom out of his wand and her younger self giggling and clapping.

For some reason, this gave her a knot in her stomach, but it wasn't a bad one. So, even if she couldn't remember it, they had shared magic, if just a small bit.

Wrinkled hands tugged the photo loose from its binder and gestured for Holly to take it. Holly's eyes widen, starring at the photo in disbelief.

"Really? I can have it?" she asked, gently accepting the loop photo.

"Yes, Gumdrop, you can keep it" grandma Georgie said, then made a _humph_ noise as Holly tackled her into a hug, throwing her arms around her neck.

From that point of, Holly spend the next couple of days surrounded by magic books which she devoured page by page, stories about her grandpa at Hogwarts and all the time he was nearly caught for using magic when he was older. They went to the _Raven and the Writing Desk_ , grandma Georgie's pub in town, where Holly, as usual, was in centrum. All the locals had basically seen her grow up and she knew almost everyone. It was a family friendly pub, but a lot of the families in the town had gone on holiday, so Holly saw very few children.

Usually she would be helping, this time however, her nose was buried in that children's book she found, reading about Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump and how a muggle tricked a king and a witch tricking the muggle. There was one with three brothers that tried cheating death but only the youngest got away, just like most muggle fairy tales, the youngest was the one that succeeded. Holly sometimes wondered what kind of stories there were about only children, like her. The Warlock's Hairy Heart was quite a gruesome one, with hearts being ripped out and the main character dying in the end. A cautionary tale, like Blue Beard.

Holly read about magical creatures in a worn edition of _Fantastic Beasts and where to find them_ , where she discovered that just about every creature, beast and being she had ever read about in fantasy books were real in some capacity. Dragons, unicorns, flying horses and mermaids, though they did not look as sweet at the one from H.C. Andersen.

At night, on the days with a clear sky, grandma would let her stay up and they would try out the lunascope, tracking the moon with a cup of cocoa and pieces of fried toast.

Then, suddenly, a week had passed, and her parents were standing in the living room, looking a bit more relaxed. Still, the hugs Holly received felt shorter and hurried. She was asked to go upstairs, and pack and she did so, scuffing her heels a bit. She didn't want to go home, Holly wanted to stay and hear more about the few times grandma Georgie had actually experienced the magical world. At home it was all facts and kids who didn't like her, thinking her freaky in how things kept happening around her.

Her rucksack had only held clothes and her toothbrush, so there wasn't much space for any of the extra items she had been allowed to take with her. There were about six books alone, all of decent size. The lunascope and remembrall, she had managed to squeeze those in her own bag, she even tried sneaking the Nose biting teacup with her, scheming to somehow give it to Mary or Tina without them knowing it was her. Her grandma had realised it and taken it away, putting it back and locking the chest. Bloodhound of a woman, her grandma.

Holly decided to go down and ask if she could loan another bag for the books, but when she heard her father mention her name, she froze on the staircase and listened.

"So, there is no way for Holly not to go to that _magic school_?" he sounded defeated, a warrior giving up on the fight and accepting the situation.

"Come now, don't be like that, it is a good school and she will get the training she needs, if you keep on denying what she is, you'll only hurt her and keep her from being brilliant" her grandma replied, and Holly smiled, a warm feeling spreading throughout her body. It seemed that her parents had finally seen sense and realising that keeping her away from the school would not change the fact that she had magic.

"Alright, mom, we'll trust your judgement, since you know more about this other world" Holly's mother said, her voice similar to her husbands, but also sort of accepting. Maybe not happy with the situation but content in the decision. Holly wanted to let out a cheer. She was really going to Hogwarts! She was going to be a witch!

Trying to contain her happiness, she walked down, poking her head from the doorway and asked "Grandma, do you have a bag I can borrow for the books? They don't fit in my rucksack"

It was hard not to be all giddy at her grandma got up and fetched a small carpet bag from a closet she then handed to Holly, who scurried upstairs. She nearly threw the bag on the floor inside the guest room, got her pillow, pressed her face against it and let out a squeal of delight. Without knowing it, Holly had been so worried about her parents keep persisting her not to attend and since they were her parents, there would've been very little Holly could do.

After it got hard to breathe, pillow smothering both mouth and nose, she tossed the bag on the bed and began actually packing the books. It was a bit heavy, but Holly knew she just had to get it downstairs and then her father would get it to the car. So, she loped it around her arm and got the ruck sag on her back, then walked or maybe more wobbled down the stairs, the carpet bag bumping against her leg. The living room smelled of sweetly of fruit-tea, Holly could tell it was a blend of strawberry and kiwi. It seemed grandma had pulled out her daughter's favourite, maybe as a sort of olive branch? Holly's mother was a bit strange like that, with coffee she preferred it bitter and black, with tea, the sweeter the better but still no sugar.

The next hour before the three of the said goodbyes, was rather pleasant. Both her mother and father asked about the logistics about Hogwarts and the magical world. The questions were much more rational and actual boring, leave it her father to make a hidden magical world sound dull. One of the things he asked was currency. That got Holly's attention, remembering her grandma telling how grandpa tried paying with copper coins. She forgot the name of the coins but remembered it being funny sounding. So, grandma told that, magic folk indeed did not use the British pound but used coins like in the olden days.

"There are the copper ones, those are called Knuts, then the silver ones, rightly named Silver Sickles and the last is a gold galleon" grandma explained, having gone into her bedroom and come out with a small string pouch. Inside were all of this coins, more copper ones than the others.

Holly picked one of the three Galleons up, turning it with her fingers. On one side there was the head of a wizard looking fellow and on the other was a dragon. On the wizard side, stood the words _Gringotts Bank_ , which must be a wizard bank.

"How much is this worth?" Holly asked, holding up the golden coin. Her grandma turned her head and looked at the coin.

"The Galleon, oh, I think about £24.60"

Holly frowned, if it was gold, shouldn't it be worth more? Then again, she actually had no idea about the worth of gold. Then came the talk about how to exchange the currency.

"Oh, you can do that in Diagon Alley, it has the countries largest wizard bank, it's called Gringotts and it is fairly hard to miss the thing" her grandma explained, then tried to remember what things cost last time she was there, but it had been a long while and the prizes might have gone up since then.

"I would maybe make an account, just so you don't have to exchange every year, since I know you can afford it" she gave a small cackle. It was true, their family was quite well off. Holly wouldn't describe them as rich, knowing other kids in her class who had every summer gone for luxury trips around the world. Holly had gone on trips too, but they drove in their car down to France or to Italy, once they had gone to Norway for a skiing trip where her father had twisted his ankle on the last day and Holly herself had smacked into a tree hard enough for the snow on the branches to fall onto her. Though that had only resulted in a heavy nosebleed.

Her father tried getting more information about the bank, about how it worked or how the money was stored but there, grandma was very little help. She had never been inside Gringotts, only seen it from the outside, explaining it looked like a grand building about to collapse at any moment but never had. Grandma couldn't tell much about the inner workings of Hogwarts either, only being able to tell about some of the teachers, the classes and the grounds.

"To be honest, what he mostly told me about was pranking the Gryffindors by throwing Stink Pellets in their dormitory or hexing a raincloud over then or something like that" Grandma sighed, shaking her head at her husband's idiocy and Holly's mother joined her. Yes, grandpa had indeed been a joking sort of fellow and Holly suspected that her mother and uncle had felt it as children.

When the tea was gone, and her parents were somewhat satisfied, they decided it was time to go. Holly made sure to say goodbye to Jabby, the green and yellow parrot, giving him a big walnut. The bird gingerly took it in its beak, the transferred it to its claw and gave a " _Thank You, good girl, Hi-ya"_. Grandma had trained him to say thank you and good girl, he'd picked up on the radio. She got on her boots and her green checkered jacket, her bags already in her father's hands.

"Now you'll be good, Gumdrop, I'll see you in three weeks and we'll all go to Diagon Alley together" her grandma said, giving Holly a bearhug and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

She kissed her daughter too and gave Holly's father a hug, before she followed them to the door, where she stayed and waved. Holly waved back from inside the car until the cottage and her grandma were out of sight. The ride home was much more relaxed than the one up there. Her parents talked to each other and her, when Eye of the Tiger came over the radio, both Holly and her father sang along, with her mother shaking her head with a chuckle. It seemed the week apart had been just what the three of them needed.


	4. Chapter 4 - Diagon Alley

**Okay, I admit I know I have the dates wrong, with what is coming next. Will probably fix that at some point, but I hope it isn't too distracting and hey Introduction of two new characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter IV**

Three weeks were an eternity. Especially when you were eleven with no friends in the neighbourhood and actually had to avoid some spots, just in case she run into a group from her old school. There were two reasons why Holly avoided her old classmates.

One, the bullying. Even being known for having a temper and throwing a baseball hard enough that it knocked Mary over, even if she hadn't done it on purpose, apparently wasn't enough for people to leave her alone.

Secondly, with the mocking and bullying, Holly didn't trust herself to not try and one up them with having to go on a prestigious boarding school that was so special no one knew about it.

So, summer dragged on. Holly divided her time in being outside, still practicing her batting, throwing and catching skills, in a secluded part of a field, and reading in the books. Her mother, still not completely happy about all this magic stuff, still applauded her for reading ahead.

"A stitch in time saves nine" she said, ruffling Holly's curly hair.

It variated if her parents were home, mostly one of them made sure to be home most of the day but a few days, Holly was alone from about eight in the morning to five in the afternoon. Those days she spend lazily, taking over the kitchen and telly. On the wall in the kitchen hung a family calendar where the events for each month had been scribbled down. Every day, Holly would mark when the day had passed, just counting down to the day when they would go to London.

The days when her parents were both home early, they went out together. On a particular hot day, they went to the beach where both Holly and her mom spend most of an hour, burying her sleeping dad. Her mom had made sure that the parasol, shaded his head, which was the only part of him not covered in sand. They went to the zoo, where Holly used a lot of the time in the petting zoo or looking at her favourite animal, the ice bears.

The day before they were supposed to go, her grandma arrived. London was over four hours away, so they had planned to go quite early, so they wouldn't get home too late.

The evening was filled with porkpie and board games, before her mother announced it was time for bed. Holly tried to protest but after yawning she knew it was a lost cause and she complied. It was rather difficult to fall asleep, even with her grandma reading the Tale of Three Brother's some the magic children's book. She was simply too excited. They were going to a magical market, filled with magical shops and wizard and witches.

Also, her parents had allowed her to get a pet! Though, not an owl like she wanted, and her mother refused a toad before Holly even got the chance to say she didn't want one either. So, it was decided that Holly would get a kitten. Holly had never had a pet. Her father had talked about having a black dog when he was younger, but with their busy schedule had not seen how they should have time for a pet also. It didn't help that Holly was actually allergic to most critters, so no rabbits or hamsters and her mother didn't want a bird because they were rather dusty. Of course, she had to swear up and down, that _she_ was going to take care of the cat, meaning feeding it and cleaning out its litterbox.

Finally, she fell asleep, dreaming about kittens galore, flying on brooms and wearing small pointed hats.

The next day started out in a hurry. They had accidentality slept too long and if there was something her parents hated, then it was being behind schedule. They ate cereal, brushed their teeth, got keys and wallets and then jumped into the car. Her mother drove, her father said on the backseat with Holly because there was more space in the passenger seat and grandma had evoked the Elder card and claimed the front seat. Four hours were long, them stopping only once to stretch their legs and use the facilities.

In London, they parked the car near the location that the letter had specified and then walked down a street. Holly kept glancing at the buildings, knowing she was the only one in the group that was able to actually see the pub. Her father had a map in his hand, the letter in the other, looking up, then down and mumbled something to himself.

They were walking on Charing Cross Road, cars and taxis driving past them to the one side and shops on the other. Then suddenly there it was. It was nestled between a bookshop and record store, a sign swaying gently in the breeze with the name of the pub painted on wood.

Nobody else had seen it and therefor kept walking, not even grandma noticed when Holly stopped walking, her father still had his nose in the map.

A quick yell and they were by her side, everyone looking at the pub. To the adults, all they could see was a rundown, empty building that their eyes had just sort of glazed over. Even now they had trouble, keeping it in their mind, like they wanted to just forget it.

"Are you sure?" her father asked, looking at his daughter, then at the map, then the letter and back to Holly who nodded with a smile. It was kind of fun being the only one to see it.

They waited for a few cars to pass, then made their way across the street. Holly's mother took a hold of her husband, her nervous lines showing. Holly did get why, they were about to step into a world where they were strangers and knew very little how things worked.

She tried giving them a reassuring smile, grabbed her father's hand and pushed the door open, pulling both her parents inside.

Holly hadn't been completely sure what to expect, maybe just a normal looking pub like her grandma's, but where the _Raven and the Writing Desk_ was clean, warm and welcoming, the Leaky Cauldron looked shabby and quite dark. It was sort of grubby, with a long bar and a number of tables, some which was almost shadowed. It was early, so there weren't a lot of people, but the few there were looked strange. One was smoking on a long pipe, another wore a pointed purple hat and a normal looking woman sat by a table, a mug beside her were a teaspoon was spinning around inside, by itself. Of course, it wasn't just Holly and her family noticing the oddness of them, _they_ looked up and now stared at them.

' _Then again'_ , Holly thought _'I guess we do look strange to them, in our muggle clothes_ '

They looked sort of puzzled at them, like they were an oddity but soon resumed their business. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, this old, nearly bald man that resembled a toothless walnut, came up to them and spoke to them.

"Oh, let me take a guess, muggles" she asked, smiling at them. Holly could see her parents were nervous, so she thought it might be best if she did the speaking, but she never got a chance.

"Tom, my goodness, you're still here and you seem to have lost more of your teeth" her grandma exclaimed, talking as if he was an old friend. Both Holly and her parents gave her an incuriously look.

The man named Tom, looked just a shocked as they were, his eyes squinted at grandma Georgie's face and then his whole face lit up.

"Ah, Merlin's beard, is that Elias's bird, Georgie Haywood?" he asked, then went to hug her which she accepted. Holly looked at the whole scene, like she just stumbled into it. She did remember the letter and professor McGonagall mentioning a man named Tom, but of course, grandma had not seen that letter. Then it hit her, her grandma had told about some of the trips to Diagon Alley, maybe they had stopped at this pub enough times for this man to remember them.

"Yes, I guess you wouldn't recognize me, my hair was still red last time I saw you, though with all that Bungbarrel spiced mead we drunk that night, I think most of the colour turned white the next morning" she laughably said. That shook Holly's mother out of her stupor.

"Mom!" she exclaimed, not quite believing what she was hearing. Grandma Georgie waved her hand dismissively, "Oh, it was years ago, while you and your brother were still kids, one of the times you stayed with your aunt".

Holly's father kind of just stood there, looking like he was questioning his entire world, _again_.

"Yes, I do remember, you could hold your liqueur better than old Elias could, passed out after just a bottle, had to charm him into one of the rooms upstairs" Tom said and the two of them, sharing a memory of the past laughed, then a melancholy expression came over his face.

"I was sorry to hear he passed away, such a spirited soul" he said, looking genuinely touched by her grandpa's death. It was sort of weird, seeing his old life, the one he largely cut out when he married her grandma.

Grandma Georgie thanked him, then turned to the rest of them, the smile back in place.

"Well, enough of the past, I am here with my family and Holly here has been accepted to Hogwarts, seemed the magic simply skipped a generation" she explained then Tom looked oddly at the two other adults, looking so very muggle like.

Tom gave a big, toothless smile, this time directed at Holly who stood confidently, not wanting to show she was ever so slightly nervous.

"Ah, of course, so you are here to buy school supplies, a fine day you've chosen, not too many has come this way, though they may come a bit later and most of them travel by Floo Powder anyway"

Before Holly could ask what Floo powder was and how you travelled with it, Tom told them to follow him and they complied. He led them into a chilly courtyard with stone walls and wooden barrels.

"This way" he guided, walking right up to a brick wall, confusing Holly and her parents. Then, out of his pocket he pulled a polished wand, kind of like the one her grandpa had. Then, with the tip, the tapped some of the bricks in a specific sequence. The bricks began to move, they somehow rearranged themselves and only moments later was there an archway and Holly could see a cobble street with colourful buildings and people. She immediately went inside, forgetting to thank Tom or notice her parents who had frozen. Her eyes were the size of sauces, trying to take everything in. The air felt so different, like if she would feel the magic as if it was static in a lightning storm. So busy was she with looking around, she accidentally collided with someone. Luckily, she didn't fall, unluckily the other one did.

It was a boy, with completely black hair and blue eyes. He wore robes, but nothing like those her grandma had shown her. No, these looked to be of finer material with a bit of embroidering.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't pay enough attention, are you alright?" she asked, stretching out her hand to help him up. The boy glared at her, then picked himself up, dusting off his knees. Holly let her hand fall back to her side, wondering if she should apologize again or get annoyed.

The boy glanced at her, the glare was gone but as his eyes travelled up and down and then back at her parents, he huffed haughtily, smirked and then stalked off.

' _How absolutely rude!'_ Holly fumed, mouth gaping a bit. Yes, she had knocked him down, her fault but what was with the look?

"Hmm, bit of an unpleasant young man" her grandma commented, coming to stand beside Holly.

"Unpleasant? He was a troll, that what he is" Holly exclaimed, not believing that not five minutes in her first magical place and it gets soured by such a louse, yes that was what he was, a stupid louse.

Fortunately, Holly soon forgot about the encounter as everything on the street took her attention. There were so many shops, looking so different and vibrant than most shops in Blackpool. There were shops selling robes, a window was filled to the top with jars and barrels labelled eels eye's and bat spleens, another had tottering piles of books. Tom might have said there weren't a lot of people, but it was still busy. Witches and wizards, going about in their green and purple robes and pointed hats. Sometimes they would spare Holly and her family a glance but not much more, maybe they knew they knew about the school starting and about muggle born also having to shop.

Holly constantly wanted to stop up and look, wishing she had more eyes or be taller, so she could see everything. She saw an ice cream parlour, a shop filled with owls in all different shapes and sizes and a shop with a beautiful broom in the window. A couple of kids had their nose pressed against the glass and talked excitedly, "Look! It's the new Nimbus 2000, that's the world's fastest broom, that is".

Holly would've liked to stay and maybe ask the kids about it, but her parents were insisting that they first go to the bank and get their money exchange.

"It makes no sense in walking the street more than necessary" said her father, ever the pragmatic. They didn't have to walk far before a building, towering over the little shops, could be seen. It was made out of snowy white marble and did indeed looked crooked, like her grandma had described. They walked up the marble staircase towards some impressive burnished bronze doors and was shocked to see a little creature in a golden and scarlet guards' uniform. It had pointed ears and nose, long fingers and feet and a dome head that was bald. Its slanted eyes gave them a quick glimpse, then looked back at the street. Holly thought that it didn't look very nice.

"It's a goblin" grandma Georgie explained in a hushed voice when they entered into a small entrance hall with another set of doors, though these were silver and there was an engraving in them that read,

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits the sin of greed  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there._

The family glanced at each other, then entered.

Holly marvelled at the vast marble hall, with an enormous crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Like outside, the doors were flanked by more goblins in guard uniforms. Another surprise awaited them as the only other humans in the hall were costumers like themselves. Behind the long counters, on high stools sat more goblins, some of them writing with feathers, some counted coins and others weighted gold.

Holly's mother grabbed a fast hold on her husbands, who looked a bit pale. Holly and grandma Georgie were probably most unaffected, Georgie probably have been warned by Elias and Holly was just excited, not scared. Yes, the goblins were not very pleasant to look at, even their teeth looked a bit sharp, but they were magical.

"Can I help you?" a gravely, hoarse voice spoke quite near them. Holly looked to her left and saw a goblin behind a counter, its small black eyes looking piercingly at them. Though it had asked them, it did not sound like it was that interested in actually helping.

This got her father into action and he walked up to the counter, but actually not reaching the goblin in eye height. Maybe it was for intimidation or maybe they just didn't want to be the small ones inside the bank. Holly could relate to that.

"Ah, yes, we would like to exchange currency and open up an account for our daughter".

Holly was impressed by her father, even in this strange environment he managed to keep his cool and look like he did in the muggle world. The goblin, that by the sign on the counter, named Ragnok, sneered a bit, peering down at Holly who in turn squared her jaw. Nothing that was smaller than her would frighten her.

"Very well" Ragnok spoke and then began a long talk about rules, explanations and signing a contract that her father read twice and asked if there was something he didn't understand. It was tedious, and the splendour of the bank quickly faded when there was talk about accounts and balances. Again, making magic dull.

In the end, the business finally concluded, and Holly was given a key with the number 451, which apparently was her money vault now. They left the bank with a drawstring purse filled with coins of both copper, silver and gold.

"Guess it's time to go shopping" her mother spoke, a little colour having come back in her cheeks. Holly couldn't agree more. Now, with the money and with the list, she zipped from window display to window display, almost getting separated from her family several times.

It took her grandma threatening to hold her hands to get her to stay just somewhat in the vicinity of them. They first when to a shop which all kinds of cauldrons were stacked against its sides and looked like that on the inside too. They had cauldrons in copper, brass, silver and there even was a golden one. One was advertised with being self-stirring and another that was collapsible, which Holly thought was very neat, but it wasn't what she needed.

What she needed was a standard size two cauldron made of pewter, so that was what she got. With the crystal vials, her parents were unsure and ended up asking the man behind the counter who kindly directed them to an apothecary with the odd name of _Slug & Jiggers_.

As soon as they got inside, Holly scrunch up her face. There were a lot of smells, all foreign and mingling but it did remind her of rotted cabbages together with rotten eggs.

You could buy strange things in barrels, vials and jars. Holly could read labels with bat wings, flobberworm mucus, porcupine quills, snake fangs, bezoar and a lot of other things.

Her father, who had taken one whiff and then refused to go inside, stood by the door and hurried them. They got the vials and direction to another shop they went to, grandma Georgie laughing at her son-in-law's sensitive nose and remarking if he shouldn't be used to it.

Grandma Georgie teased him with being such a townie, herself having smelled much fouler out on the country side. Her father tried defending himself, but the protest fell on deaf ears as even her mother began laughing.

After getting all the books, which was ten and none of them were light, and the brass scales _and_ the telescope, her parents and grandma had to sit down. They found a quaint tea shop called _Rosa Lee Teabag_ and the adults ordered some brewages.

"Can't I just go alone then? I'm not missing much, and I know where you are and if I do get lost I can ask someone after the shop" Holly asked pleadingly. She was well aware how long those three could sit and drink for and she wanted to see some more.

Her father didn't seem too fond of the idea, but both her mother and grandma thought it was a fine idea and gave her the pouch.

"No using it anything else than what is on the list, we can maybe see about some sweets later but no spending" her mother reprimanded, and Holly nodded, giving her a kiss on the cheek and then darted off. The cobble street had gotten busier by now and Holly had to weave, though it was a lot easier alone since she was small compared to the adults. She was also beginning to see more kids her age, walking around with their families and probably buying school supplies too.

Holly looked at her list. She was missing everything having to do with clothes, her wand and pet, which would be a kitten.

"Best for last" Holly said to herself, setting off to find some kind of robe shop. She found one called _Twilfitt and Tatting's_ but it didn't look to have uniforms and the prizes seemed very high, even though Holly still was trying to get a handle on the currency. Another shop looked promising, with black child sized robes in the window and it was apparently having a sale too.

It was warm inside and with a pleasant smell of new clothes, a squat, smiling woman dressed all in mauve came out from a backroom. When she saw Holly, who had been fiddling with a pair of chameleon skin gloves, she came over and asked, "Off to Hogwarts, dear?"

"Yes, I need some robes and…" Holly trailed off, forgetting what else. She was about to dig out the list from her pocket but the woman, well witch, waved her hand.

"No need for the list, I know these things by heart now, but I am afraid you have to wait, got two boys in the fitting room already but do feel free to look around while you wait" and then the witch walked away. Holly did as suggest and looked around, finding all the different kind of cloaks and robes quite to her liking. It made her think of the medieval markets that would pop up during summer, of an out-dated lifestyle. Then again, by the looks of the shopping list and what her grandma had told her, the magical community had evolved sparsely over the last couple of hundred years. When she moved to the back end of the shop, feeling a pair of dragon hide gloves, she heard voices that sounded like boys.

"- I'll be in Slytherine, all our family been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" a voice asked, sounding incredible snobbish. Holly thought that maybe it was that black-haired boy she had bumped into, imagining that he would sound a lot like that.

Knowing fully that it was rude to listening in at other's conversations, she pretended to be deeply fascinated by a pair of gloves made out of chameleon skin, so it changed colour and moved a step closer. She didn't hear an answer and was unsure if there had been one, because it was the same voice again that exclaimed "I say, look at that man!" and for a wild moment, Holly actually thought he meant her, that he had caught her eavesdropping and simply confused her for a boy. She realized of course it wasn't her and looked up to see who the boy had been so surprised about.

Her question was quickly answered when she looked at the front windows that had the view of the street. A huge man stood there, taking up the whole window, his face almost hidden behind wild bushy hair and beard and he was holding two large ice creams and smiling broadly.

It was clear that he could see someone in the shop he knew, and it turned out to be the second boy in the fitting room.

"That's Hagrid, he works at Hogwarts" he sounded pleased and a lot less oily than the first one. The first boy adopted this haughty tone that reminded Holly a bit too much of Mary when the girl taunted her and called her names.

"Oh, I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper" the second boy defended, sounding positively annoyed. The giant man was doubtlessly his friend and he did not take kindly to the other boy's mocking.

What Holly sound most peculiar was with how normally the first boy had talked about servants. Of course, she knew they still existed, there was still a lot of old families about in England not to mention the royal family and then there were people like Mary and Tina whose families had hired help, like gardeners and Au Pair's. Maybe magical people just still used the word servant instead of staff or help. Still, Holly didn't like how the boy had said the word servant, like they were beneath them. Her father had very strong opinions about the aristocrats of their society, being against it and a lot of that had rubbed off on Holly. It had made her unpopular in her school, besides all the freaky incidents, with her being against an elite class even though the teacher had wanted to put her in one at one point, only in math though.

While she had been mulling with her own thoughts, she had stopped listening but when the first boy asks where the second boy's parents were, and he responded with "They're dead" she immediately began listening again.

"Oh sorry" the first boy said, quite clearly not the least bit sorry. He really had to be such a little twat, Holly decided, not caring if he hadn't uttered a word to her or that she had even seen what he looked like.

"But they were our kind, weren't they" the first boy asked, voice drawling out the sentence.

"They were a witch and a wizard, if that's what you mean" the second boy replied curtly, sounding as if he rather not be there or for the other boy to stop talking and Holly agreed. Even though she wasn't part of the conversation, she was becoming rather miffed and had to bite her tongue so not to make comments. Any sensible person would simply move away and stop listening, but Holly didn't like leaving things unfinished.

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?" the first boy said, his voice so pompous that it made Holly's stomach lurch.

She was a hair straw away from snapping, actually making herself ready to jump in there and yell at the first boy, when a hand fell on her shoulder. It was the same witch from before and she was smiling kindly down at her and said, "Follow me, luv" and guided her away and Holly let her, still fuming and her face the colour of beetroot.

She found herself in what looked like a small office, a place she expected was only for staff and it made her wonder why she was there. Had the witch caught her listening in and was going to scold her for it? Turned out that, no, that wasn't it.

"That wasn't very nice to hear, was it?" the witch asked in a mellow voice. Holly was about to deny everything, about listening in and getting angry, but knew she had been too obvious and lying would do her no good.

She shook her head and said, "He sounded nasty, that one boy, is he here for Hogwarts too?" she asked, hoping he was perhaps from another school, if there were any others in England or that he was in another year than her. Her hopes were shot down immediately.

"Afraid so, dearie, but don't let boys like him spoil it, you are going to have a lovely time on Hogwarts" she replied.

Holly sighed, cooling down. She was right, there was no point in bothering with the likes of him. At least, not unless she met him, and he would be going to be like that in front of her.

"Why did you pull me in here?" Holly asked puzzled, taking her aside in the shop would've been just as well. The witch smiled and said with a wink "Well, though I am sure he deserved it, I couldn't have you go wallop a costumer, now could I?"

Holly went pink, embarrassed that her intentions had been so clear, she had to learn how to hide her anger better. The witch laughed and when they went out again, both the boys and the giant man had gone, and she was shuffled into the fitting room where she stood on a stool the witch took her measurements. From shoulder to wrist, shoulder to shoulder, leg to waist and around it.

It didn't take that long and when she was finished, she used the time to find a pair of dragonhide gloves and a winter cloak, which she enjoyed wearing as it made her feel a bit like something out of Lord of the Rings. It was a shame everything had to be black when she could see a lot of other colours in the shop. She also tried a few pointed hats, finding the one that fit her. Before long, her three sets of plain, black robes were ready. Not sure about the money, Holly basically just fished a lump out and waited for the witch to count them.

"Just need about five more knuts, my dear" she said, and Holly fished five copper coins from the purse and took the bags of clothes.

Holly's couldn't remember last when she had bought or gotten so much stuff in one day and was quite happy for their car. She thought about going back with the bags of clothes, but she had heard from one of the shop keepers that Ollivander's was the best wandshop and she could spot it from outside of Madam Malkin's.

"Might as well" Holly said out loud and hauled the bags along with her.

The shop looked a bit shabby on the outside, with peeling golden letters spelling out

 _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C._

Holly gaped a bit of this. That was a long bloody time for a business to have run.

In the window was only a single display of a wand upon a dusty purple pillow. Inside was almost as empty, except a single, spindly old chair. Well, that wasn't really true, by the counter stood two people, an old man with white hair and pale silvery eyes and a girl, looking to be Holly's age with bright, short red hair and a mountain of wands and boxes on the counter in front of her.

"Damnit, not this one either" the girl exclaimed, sounding very frustrated. The old man sighed and then went off to the rows upon rows of long square boxes that must contain wands.

' _No wonder it's so dusty, who would have time to clean all of this'_ Holly mused to herself.

The door closed behind her with a sound which made the other girl to turn around. She had blue eyes and freckles dusted across her face. Upon seeing Holly, her eyes glanced towards the pile of wands and her cheeks turned pink. Holly was about to ask what was going to but was interrupted by the old shopkeeper came back with a box in this hand.

"Hmm, walnut and dragon string, ten and a half inches" he said as he took a curved wand out and handed it to the girl who spun around. Holly stood, watching in fascination, thinking something exciting was about to happen, but nothing did.

This time the man just plucked it out of her hand, placed it in the pile and went off again.

The two girls stood silent for a moment, Holly not sure what to say. It was the red-haired girl who spoke first.

"Sorry, about this, I mean, it might take a while" she said, rubbing her neck with a sheepish smile. Holly was still confused.

"Why though? Don't you like any of the wands?" she asked, herself thinking there were a lot of beautiful wands in hill on the counter. This made the other girl cock her head, a frown on her face when it suddenly broke out in surprise.

"Oh, you're muggleborn, aren't you?" she exclaimed a bit loudly.

Holly nodded, not sure how the girl had known this. The girl smiled, showing she had dimples.

"You see, you don't just choose a wand, it's more like the wand choses you, you have to, you know, connect" she explained.

"Wait, are you saying the wands are alive?" Holly asked shocked. The girl shook her head.

"No, well, not really, it's hard to explain, they are sort of sentient, but it's not like they feel pain or nothing" she didn't get to explain further, as the man came back.

"Ah, a new costumer, I will be with you when I've helped this young lady" he said, giving her a new wand, she barely had it in her hand before he said "No" and plucked it out again.

The girl huffed and said "and as you can see, that might take a while, I've been here for fifteen minutes and none of these bloody wands is the right one" she said in frustration.

Then she straightened up and said, "I'm sure you won't have the same problem, I'm Marlee by the way, Marlee Price".

Holly stepped closer and said "Holly Garwin" shaking Marlee's hand, noticing that there were freckles on the wrists too. Holly also remarked that Marlee was dressed quite normally compared to some of the others in the street of Diagon Alley. It wasn't the latest fashion, like a lot of the girls in her old class would wear, but it was not robes, as magical people seem to favour.

Her grandma had told her in the week she had stayed there, that some wizards believed trousers to inhibit their magic. Magical people were rather absurd.

Holly was going to ask Marlee if she was a muggleborn too, but the old man came back with a Yew wood - phoenix feather core - wand. However, once again, it had barely been in the red-headed girl's hand before it was plucked out and he was off again, and another wand was added to the pile. There was a low _Thump_ and the rattle of a couple of wands clanging down to the floor. Marlee had dropped her forehead against the counter in defeated sort of way, while mumbling, "I'll never find a wand, I'll just become a banker like my mum".

Holly wanted to say something encouraging but she didn't know what. Were there cases when no wand chose you? You couldn't very well be a witch or wizard without a wand, her grandma had explained as much. There apparently was something called wandless magic, but you had to be very skilled and powerful to do that.

The man wobbled into view again, his skin looking even paler in the shadow. Either Marlee hadn't heard him or she had so fully given up that she didn't care.

"Come now, miss, have another one here and I've got a good feeling about it. Red Oakwood with a unicorn hair core, just about 11 ¼ inches" he said, pulling a reddish coloured wand. It was beautiful, with a carved wooden rose at its base. Marlee dragged her head from the counter, a red spot matching her hair in colour, blooming on her head.

She took the wand from the man's hand, then lit up. Holly couldn't see a difference, nothing really happened on the outside, but by the smile the girl had, Holly guessed the wand liked her.

"Ah, yes, I thought that would be the one, bit difficult to work but powerful if handled properly it" he said, smiling proudly. Marlee looked like she was about to burst with joy.

The redheaded girl paid with Galleons and the man put the wand back in its box. She turned to Holly, smiling from ear to ear and said "All yours and I'll guess I will see you the 1st September at school"

Holly grinned too, "See you then" and Marlee waved before leaving the shop.

The thought of maybe already having made a new friend, made Holly completely forget why she was standing in the small, dusty shop. It took the man, which Holly guessed must be Ollivander, to clear his throat and speak before she turned back around and faced him.

"I'm guessing you'll be needing a wand too, miss" he said in his slightly raspy voice.

Holly nodded, excited though she really hoped it wouldn't take as long as Marlee had made it out to be. Mr. Ollivander nodded, already shifting trough the pile of wands and found an almost black one.

"Walnut with a dragon string core" and handed it to Holly who took it. It was smooth the touch, the kind of silky feeling only polished wood had but other than that, she felt nothing.

It was plucked from her hand and a lengthy process began. Sometimes the old man would get one from the pile, other times he went to the back of his shop and got a new one. He seemed to have an uncanny ability to know all his wands inside and out, even when they weren't in their boxes. When Holly looked closer at one of the boxes, she saw they weren't even labelled.

At the point where Holly lost count, Mr. Ollivander had been gone for several minutes, lost in the rows upon rows of boxes, he came back with a gleam in his old eyes.

"Try this one, had it for ages, very picky you could say" he said and presented her with the wand. It had a darker colour, but slightly reddish traces in its grain. It was more twig like than Marlee's had been, but the handle was rounded with two thick pieces that separated the main body from the handle and it was carved a bit like a robe. On the handle itself, patterns reminding Holly of those carvings on Celtic rocks she had seen at a museum on a school trip.

As soon as it was in her hand, she could feel a surge through her, like electricity only it was more tingling than shocking.

Looking up at Mr. Ollivander, she gave him a toothy grin and he smiled at her.

"Yes, yes, I expected you would fit it just right. Bit tricky, this one, temperamental but it rarely bonds with anyone else than its original owner, made out of cedarwood with a phoenix feather core and 13 ¾ inches, reasonably springy" he told her while she marvelled the wand.

It was fantastic.

She thanked Mr. Ollivander and paid the Galleons, the wand box she nestled between the robes and then she hurried out, wanting to show her parents and grandma her wand.

The street had become a lot more crowded and Holly was almost run over by this family who she thought maybe was Marlee's, since every single one of them had bright red hair that looked like someone had set fire to their heads. They bustled along, a plumb woman shouting at two boys that looked identical when they tried to leave the group. Holly stayed clear of them, not wanting to get swept up in the haste they seemed to be in.

She caught a glimpse of the giant man, Hagrid she seemed to remember, as he towered over everybody else. She just hoped she wouldn't run into that blonde boy from the robe shop or the black haired one she had knocked over. Both had seemed rather unpleasant and she didn't want to spoil the good mood she was in.

It took a while to find her way back to the Tea-shop, not being able to see over the adults. Her parents were sitting there, chatting with grandma Georgie but also another pair. A man and a woman, both with darker skin and black hair. They were dressed like her parents. That was to say, they had normal muggle clothes on. The group laughed, but her mother stopped when she spotted Holly coming over.

"There you are, we were worried you got lost" she said.

Holly shook her head, "No, it just took a while to get fitted for the robes and there was someone already getting their wand, so I had to wait" she explained, glancing over at the two strangers. Her father noticed this and cleared his throat.

"This is Chris and Roisin Addams, they are normal like us and have a son your age" he said, making Holly frown a little as his use of the word _normal_. She knew he probably didn't mean it in a bad way, but it did give a little pinch at her chest.

"Hello" she waved politely to the couple, then sat down at an empty chair beside her grandma who turned her full attention of Holly.

"So, was it a bit of an adventure?" she asked with a glint in her dark blue eyes. It made Holly grin and she began telling her tale, even the part she had overheard at the robe shop. Grandma Georgie sighed and nodded, "Yes, those opinions are still around I'm afraid, but try not to let it get to you. Those kinds of people have never been right, history have proven them wrong time and time again" she said, ruffling Holly's hair lovingly.

Then she showed everyone her wand. Even her parents looked impressed, her father fiddling a bit with it, as if he could understand how it worked like it was a clock you could take apart. It especially surprised them when she explained how it was wands that chose the person, not the other way around. Even the other two seemed fascinated by the concept.

"Where are your son?" Holly asked, confused why he wasn't with them, forgetting she hadn't been either for a good while.

"Oh, he wouldn't take his eyes of this broomstick and he got to talk with this other boy about some sort of sport you play on them, forgot the name though" Mrs. Roisin said, looking thoughtful.

"You mean quidditch?" Holly asked, remembering hearing about it from grandma and there being a couple of Wizard Cards with famous players.

"Yes, that's the one, don't know how it is played, but our boy, Eugene, do have knack for sports, so I am sure he will take it up" Mrs. Addams answered happily.

They stayed there a couple of minutes more when her father said they needed to get going, only missing one item and with the long way home, they'd better get it over with.

Her parents paid for the tea and cakes they had eaten, waved a goodbye to the Addams, after exchanging phone numbers and went on their way. With the increase of people, trying to navigate an unknown street was virtually impossible. Her father grumbled about the lack of a map and her mother rolled her eyes at him, asking a shop keeper about the best place to buy pets. They were directed to the north side, to a shop that had a sign with the name _Magical Menagerie._

Holly could see hardly see inside the shop, the windows being blocked by cages filled with animals. She saw rats, toads, colourful snails and even a raven that cawed when they walked to the door. Inside it was cramped, every inch of the space filled out. Holly was unsure if this was good for the animals, didn't they need more space than a dingy cage?

The place was also incredible noisy, every animal calling out in different sounds. Holly's eyes went wide with the selection. There were animals she had never seen before. A jewel encrusted crab, a rabbit that kept transforming into a silk top hat, something furry that virtually had no shape but just two eyes and a small rodent-like creature with a long snout similar to a platypus and a coat of black fur. Holly knew better than to ask for any of these amazing creatures. If her parents had refused something as normal as an owl, a giant orange snail was probably out of the question. Besides, the letter had specified either an owl, a cat or a toad and Holly didn't want a toad, not even a bright purple one.

A stout woman popped up from a door in the back that was almost concealed, she had fading brown hair done up a bit unkempt, with locks sticking out here and there. She was wearing brown carb with an apron and thick looking gloves.

"Oh, hullo dear, what can I help you with? Looking for a pet?" She asked, her voice a bit high pitch. Her mother looked at the crab nervously, her father was wrinkling his nose, so it ended up being her grandma that answered.

"Yes, our Holly is going to her first year of Hogwarts and we thought a cat would make a nice companion"

"Oh yes," the shop woman said, "They are fine creatures, have about three at home"

Then she guided Holly to the corner of the shop where all the felines apparently resided. Holly saw ginger cats, Siamese, some tabby's and even a snowy white one with blue eyes.

Holly went to each cage, looking inside. There were a lot of kittens, many of them coming to the front and sticking their small noses out to sniff at her. Truthful, she wanted to take every single one of them home.

Then she came to what appeared to be an empty cage, stuck a bit in the corner where the light didn't reach properly. Only, it wasn't empty. A pair of round yellow eyes shone from the back of the cage that was in complete darkness.

The shop keeper must have noticed her interest, because she was by Holly's side and said

"Bit shy that one, I'm afraid, don't know why but he likes to keep to the dark", then she opened the cage and stuck her hand in.

"Come on here, yer wee little fella, so the little miss can get a good look at yer" but the eyes didn't move, they stayed in place. Holly could see the outline of the kitten now, a little bundle of glossy black fur that almost blended perfectly in with the shadows.

"Stubborn one," the shop keeper sighed out, "I can sometimes get to him, but I think that's only because I feed him" she explained.

For reasons Holly could explain, she had a feeling about this kitten, that it would make a wonderful companion when you coaxed it out.

"Can I try?" she asked the woman, looking up at her. The woman nodded, moving aside. Holly didn't think the kitten would just come out, but maybe she could lure it. She asked for a smelly piece of food, something a cat would like and then took a bit of string she had in her pocket. Tying the treat at the end, she carefully placed it as far in as she dared without frightening the kitten.

It immediately caught its attention, yellow eyes on black moving. When it got close, Holly moved it a bit. The kitten stopped, looking at the treat, then tried again. Holly pulled at the string again. It was a bit like fishing, towing the line, relaxing, towing the line and repeat. Finally, the black kitten was almost by the opening, it's small nose twitching.

When it took a step closer, Holly let it get the treat. It gnashed on it, moving it around in its tiny mouth. Slowly, in slow-motion movement, Holly moved her fingers towards the kitten. It saw her approaching but fortunately didn't run back, it just kind of observed her.

"There's a good boy" she said softly and smiled when the kitten began sniffing at her fingers, then licked them. Just as slow, she moved her hands and scooped up it up. It didn't resist her, especially not after she gave it another treat and started running two fingers down its back.

"Uh, that was something, miss, I dare say he likes you" the shop keeper said.

"Yeah, I think so too" and she'd decided on the kitten she wanted.

"He's a Bombay cat, only comes in midnight black, though I do think there is some Kneazle in him somewhere down the line, his mother is a very intelligent one" she said.

They paid about ten galleons for the kitten, a carrier for them to transport him in and a small bag of kitten food.

By now, her parents and grandma were dead on their feet and they all wanted to go home. Holly had wanted to stay there but didn't protest. The street was getting too crowded anyway to enjoy anything, so they all went back to where the entrance to the leaky Cauldron where. Grandma Georgie talked for a few minutes with Tom again, Holly also showing him her new kitten and wand and then they all went towards the car, every single hand filled with bags with books, robes, kitten and so much more.

The way back was sedated, everyone exhausted, and they ended up buying a few pizzas on the way as neither of her parents had much energy to cook. Holly spend some time, making sure her room was kitty proof and then made a small place to let the kitten out. It hadn't made much sound, if anything at all. He would purr when she stroked him and curl around her hand, but he didn't really meow. She gave him a small bowl of water and a bit of food, placing newspaper underneath it, except for a blanket where he could cuddle into.

It was a tired Holly that eventually went to her room, having brushed her teeth and combed her wild hair. She pulled on her pyjamas, yawning and glancing over at her kitten. He was nestled into the blanket, so you could only see the nose poke out.

It made her smile as she went to bed, turning off the light on the nightstand. She would have to figure out a name for him, but right now, what she needed was sleep.


	5. Chapter 5 - Off to Hogwarts

**My story is mostly based on the books, but I might mix something of the movie in, some of the visuals, like the Gringotts bank, or maybe just some things I think is neat or nifty.**

 **Can you spot the difference?**

* * *

 **Chapter V**

The name for her kitten she found after the first week. Holly had used as much time as she could with the kitten, that slowly got used to his surroundings. After the first day, he was exploring her room and by the third day he was allowed outside. Holly made sure he went nowhere near the steps, carrying him down or blocking it off. It seemed that even though he was a quiet one, he was nonetheless adventures and playful, when he wanted too. He wasn't too fond of strangers, as demonstrated when one of her mother's friends came over and the kitten had darted off, leaping up to Holly lap and curling in under her sweater.

Holly had thought about calling him Salem, after the black, talking cat from the telly series _Sabrina: The Teenage Witch_ , only to have her father remind her that it probably wasn't a good idea. It took a moment for her to connect the dots, then she had a "oh" moment and remembered the Salem-witch trials.

Anything like Blackie or Black Jack seemed to obvious and boring, her mother had recommended Blackberry, thinking it cute, while her father suggested Chat Noir which meant Black Cat in French. Neither suited the black kitten in Holly's opinion.

Something that she noticed was the kitten's habit of disappearing when you didn't keep a close enough eye on him. He'd taken to hiding in odd places, under the bed, inside her closet and under the clothes in an open drawer. Each morning, it was like playing hide-and-seek unless she lured him with a treat. So, based on this habit of vanishing, Holly took inspiration from her grandma and her favourite book, Alice in Wonderland, and named the kitten Cheshire, Chess for short.

She called her grandma to tell her and the old woman thought it a good name and Chess did seem to respond to it, however much a cat would ever respond to a name.

The rest of the summer, Holly spend a lot of time with Chess and reading in her books and it wasn't just her. When they had been in the magical book shop, her father had purchased a couple of history books, about magical history in general and also about Hogwarts history. He apparently found them quite fascinating and got some answers, like why she had to buy a feather pen and ink. Apparently, because of their reliance on magic and that was what developed, they had no technology. The book also explained that technology and magic didn't mix well, that it interfered with each other. Things like radios had to be modified.

"These wizards sound a bit loony" he commented, looking half amused, half worried.

Holly learned how the school were founded, about the four houses, how it looked like a pile of dangerous ruins to muggles. She read about potions and charms that could make things float or turn your wand to a flashlight. It was pleasant way to spend the summer and then suddenly it was the 1st of September.

Again, her grandma had made her way down to them and stayed the night and the next day they started out really early as the train left at eleven precise. Luckily, they had packed everything the night before, clothes, books and her wand went into a trunk and Chess was in his wicker basket carrier.

Still, it was a rather hectic morning, everybody rushing about, her grandma making breakfast and her father taking her baggage out to the car. Her mother went over a list with her, asking if she remembered everything, even though they had gone through it yesterday.

Finally, they were on their way, her father driving, grandma beside him and Holly and her mother on the backseat with Chess between them.

King's Cross station was crowded, and they had to park a way off. Her father hurried to fetch a trolley where they packed the trunk and Chess. Her mother had the letter in her hand, frowning at the instructions.

"I do not understand this ticket, there is no platform 9 ¾. Is this a magic thing?" she asked her grandma, who nodded with a smile, leading them down to the platform with nine and ten. There was a hustle and bustle, people hurrying. So far everyone looked quite normal, maybe wizards went undercover when coming here.

"So, what now?" Holly's mother asked, looking around confused.

"Is there like a hidden doorway?" Holly asked, looking up at her grandma who gave a coy smile.

"Come on" grandma Georgie said, and they followed to a barrier. On the one side there was a sign with the number 9 and on the other with the number 10. She made a gesture which confused the rest of the family.

"What? Through there, but that's solid brick, how are we supposed to get through" Holly's mother asked incuriously.

"You go through it, the platform is on the other side, Elias told me" she explained and then, without another word, walked right through. Her mother gasped, her father's eyes were almost bugling out of his head and Holly just grinned.

Magic was absolutely fantastic.

"Can I go next, please? You can follow after" she asked, looking up her parents who still looked rather shocked, but her father nodded. With only a slight bit of worry, Holly walked confidently towards the barrier and just as her trolley was about to crash, nothing happened. Everything was dark for a moment, then she was out and, on a platform, almost running into her grandma.

"Fun, eh, Gumdrop" she said cheekily, giving a wink.

Holly grinned only widen when she saw the huge scarlet train, puffs of steam coming from it. It was just as busy on this platform; the difference were the people. Adults wearing purple and maroon robes, pointed hats and pushing along children who had trolleys of their own. She saw bird cages with owls, white, brown and dark grey. Others had carriers with cats, like her and she even manages to see one with a toad. A took a few moments for her parents to get through, they had walked hand in hand, her mother's eyes screwed tightly shut. At this, Holly also realised that on this side, it wasn't a barrier they came from, but a big grey archway.

"Are we dead yet?" her mother asked, refusing to open her eyes.

"No, but if you don't move out of the away, you might get run down by a running trolley" grandma Georgie remarked. Her parents sprung away and apparently just in time as a pair of red-haired boys came running through. Holly recognized them as the twins from that big family she'd seen in Diagon Alley. They were grinning, saying a quick "sorry" when they almost ran into Holly. Her and her family moved out of the way, they helped her get the trunk onto the train and found an empty compartment. Her father got it tugged away in the corner, while Holly made sure it was clear someone was sitting there. Outside, just five minutes before eleven, they all hugged. Her mother was crying, and her dad had misty eyes.

It suddenly hit Holly that this would be the first time away from home. She'd been so excited for Hogwarts, everything else had been forgotten. It was first now she realised she would miss them.

"I'll promise to write," she said, "just be ready to get it by owl" she finished, smiling.

It made her parents chuckle. Inside the train, Holly stuck her head out the window to wave at them. The compartment door slid open with a small bang, and a boy came running through. He got the other window open and began waving at a couple that Holly knew. It was the couple that her parents had met. Chris and Rose, or something. That meant the boy had to be Eugene.

"Bye mum, bye Chris, see you at Christmas!" he yelled loudly.

Holly decided to wait with the presentations and said goodbye to her family, waving still when the train began moving. A small red-haired girl ran along the train, looking like she was crying. Probably a younger sibling.

Both Holly and Eugene closed the windows and looked at each other.

"Oh, hello, sorry about rushing in" he said, as if he'd first noticed her now.

He was a had dark skin like his parents and black hair, but it was cut so he only had hair in a line on top of his head and back. Holly thought it made him look quite cool.

"No worries, s'not exactly my compartment" she said cheery, happy that he seemed nice.

"I'm Holly by the way, Holly Garwin" she added afterwards, sticking her hand out which he took.

"I'm Eugene Addams, but you can call me Gene, that's what my friends back home calls me" he said, shaking her hand, then he added after looking at her clothes, "So muggleborn too?"

"Yeah, bit of a shock, right? I mean, I knew I was weird but never thought I was a witch" she said as they let go. Gene nodded.

"Tell me about it, think my grandpa was just about ready to send me to a priest for an exorcism, after I accidentally set the curtains on fire when I was having the flu and sneezed" he said jokingly, making Holly's eyes bulge out of her skull.

"You lit a fire by accident with your magic? That's wicked, that is, oh, hope no one were hurt" she added the last part as an afterthought. Gene shrugged.

"No, my mom were there in a flash with a fire extinguisher, they thought it might have been the candle, but it was nowhere near the curtain, still, more believable than your kid doing it with his mind" he said with a grin and Holly remembered all the different explanations the adults came up with then strange things happened around her.

"What about you? Any wild stories with accidental magic?" he asked, leaning forward. It made Holly wonder if Gene had been lonely too, alienated from the other kids because he was weird.

"Well, I did get a baseball to knock someone to the ground, but she had her back turned and they thought I threw it. I didn't even know it was me, and another time, actually the day I found out I was a witch, I fell from a tree, but I just sort of floated down" she answered, making gestures with her hands that was supposed to be floating.

The compartment door open and gave a small _thud_ when it slid completely back. A familiar girl peered through the door, her short red hair a dead giveaway.

"There you are, I've been looking for you up and down this train, thought it might be nice to sit with a friendly face" she said, positively throwing herself down in the seat beside Holly.

"There are some really rude people on this train, nasty even and I didn't want to sit with them and thought I might be able to sit with the one other person who I know is decent" Marlee rambled, first now noticing Gene who was just starring at her.

"I am sure you are decent too, I just don't know that yet, but we might as well start since I am not going back to the other compartment".

She stuck her hand out and said "I'm Marlee Price and I'll be your train companion for the rest of the journey" and the tone in her voice was decidedly not one you could argue with. Luckily, Gene didn't seem to mind Marlee and they all got along just fine.

When outside the window, the city of London had disappeared, and the landscape now consisted of meadows and fields, Holly decided to let Chess out of his wicker basket. Though the black kitten had a fondness of finding small hidey holes, he strangely enough did not seem to like the carrier. He curled up on her shoulder, nestling himself inside her curly hair that she hadn't bothered doing anything about. Marlee too had a cat with her, a red striped female by the name of Gertrude, but was called Gert for short.

"Not really a cat person" Gene confessed when both cats were out and sniffing at each other.

"But we have a dog at home, he's black like Chess but a lot bigger and is called Duncan, named him after my favourite basketball player" he explained, but did allow Gert to push her head up against his arm. Beside to greet the unfamiliar cat, Chess at remained by Holly, still wary of any strangers.

About half past twelve, a lady poked her head through and asked if they wanted anything off the cart. All three of them leapt at the sound of snacks, but Holly and Gene ended up looking very oddly at the selection. It wasn't the candy they were used to, instead it was all very wizardry.

There were Pepper Imps, chocolate frogs, cauldron cakes, ginger newts, acid pops and pumpkin pasties. Marlee bought some cakes and a box of something called Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans. Gene just looked and then bought some chocolate frogs and Holly ended up with several acid pops, hoping it was like sour candy.

They shared their treats among them, Holly ending up with spitting a chili flavoured bean when it felt like her tongue was burning up.

"Oh yeah, should've warned you, these aren't like muggle every flavoured candy, in this box there is every flavour you can think off, bad ones too." Marlee made a face, "Got one that tasted like liver once and my father swears he got one that tasted like iron, you know, like blood".

It became a sort of game between them, each one daring the other to eat the weirdest looking ones. Outside, the sun was dipping lower on the sky and the neat meadows had turned into wood with jagged rocks and twisting rivers. They were going north, Holly was fairly sure off.

A fourth time, the door slid open and a boy with a round face and sad looking eyes asked

"Have you seen a toad? I've lost mine and I can't find him"

All three of them shook their heads, Holly making sure to actual check the floor under the seats, just in case it had somehow managed to get in there. The boy left, disheartened and Holly could hear him ask the same in the next compartment.

"I didn't think anyone would want to bring a toad to school" commented Gene and Holly could only agree. It wasn't that she disliked the animal, it just wasn't that fun of a pet and not nice to pet.

Outside the compartment, there was a great deal of commotion, people running around. A few waved when they spotted Marlee, but no one knew about Holly or Gene it would seem.

"They're kids from other magic families, some parents are both magical and others, like mine, is a magical person and a muggle." She explained, swallowing a cauldron cake.

"So, your half-blood then?" asked Holly, curious about how a home like that was. Marlee nodded, her hair bouncing with her movement.

"Yep, my dad's a wizard and my mom are a muggle, he didn't tell her before after they moved in together and everything, but she says she suspected he wasn't quite normal, so when he finally confessed, she wasn't surprised. According to dad, her exact words after finding out was _'Is that why things only get done around the house them I'm not here'_ " Marlee chuckled.

"Apparently he would use magic to fix things when she was out, meaning that when she would help him putting up a shelf, he would be absolutely hopeless".

That got a laugh out of everyone, but it was cut short by a yell. The three of them looked at each other, then opened the door and sticking their heads out. A few compartments down, three boys stood by an open door, one had pale blonde hair and the other two were huge and beefy. Something must have frightened them, because they came scuttling down the hall, Holly and the others pulled their heads in. Holly was pretty sure she saw one of the larger boys nursing a bleeding finger as they rushed by.

"Wonder what all that fuss was about" Marlee wondered out loud.

Outside it was getting dark, the sky having a deep purple hue to it. The train was passing by mountains and forests at this point and Holly could sweat that it was slowing down.

Then a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately"

"Oh, shoot, we have change into our robes" Marlee exclaimed and both girls pushed Gene quickly outside, so they could change, throwing their clothes into their trunks. Then they switched and let Gene change. Marlee easily got Gert inside her carrier but Chess needed some persuasion, so Holly coax him with treats and promises.

"It's just for a short while, I promise that I'll let you out again" she said, trying to appease the black kitten. He made a small sniffing sound and then turned around in the carrier, so Holly no longer could see the pair of yellow eyes. She really had managed to get a self-important cat, hadn't she?

All three got of the train, Holly feeling a bit bad about leaving Chess behind. Outside was a sea of people in robes, black but the older students had colour on theirs. Blue, red, green and yellow. It probably had something to do with the four houses, thought Holly. Then came a loud, booming voice from behind and she swirled around.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

It was the enormous man from the day in Diagon Alley, the one who had been standing outside the robe shop, waiting for one of the boys. He looked even bigger as he towered over the group of eleven-year olds. He was holding a lit lantern and he kept calling for all the first years.

"Bloody hell" Holly heard Gene whisper when he got a good look. Holly remembered hearing his name in the conversation between the two boys, but it slipped her mind. Something with 'H', maybe Harry or Harold?

"He has to be half giant" Marlee said in awe, craning her neck slightly back as they were quite close. Holly wanted to ask if giants actually existed but then the man in question began leading them and the question was lost as excitement swelled inside of her body.

They walked down a narrow path which was tricky with how dark it was, Holly was only glad that they were somewhat close to the man and his lantern. She was pretty sure they were walking through a forest, as she could see the shape of trees on either side of the path.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec, jus' around this bend here" the giant man called behind him and the ones in the front walked a bit faster while craning their necks. Then they rounded the bend and there were a chorus of "Uhh" and "Ahh"s coming from the group.

They had been led to an opening where a great big lake laid and from there Holly could see, perched on top of a high mountain, a great big castle with rising towers and windows which glowed warmly with light from within. Holly had seen castles before, but none as vast as this one.

By the riverbank, there was a small fleet of boats that bobbed ever so slightly in the water.

"In the boats you go, no more than four in each one" the man called out, shinning with the lantern to guide people. Holly, Marlee and Gene quickly got a boat together, and a girl with curly brown hair and pale skin joined them.

At this moment the three of them looked at each other, all with the same question communicated through their expressions

" _Do you know how to row?"_

Luckily, there was no need for that. After the huge man got in a boat himself, alone as he took up the whole thing with his size, he called out some sort of command and the boats began gliding over the water by themselves.

It was cold to sit so still, but it was hardly noticed had they steadily got closer to the castle. They were all silent, all watching in awe as they neared the cliff and it got hard to actually see the castle without bending backwards, which was what Gene almost did and fell into Holly who fell back at Marlee and the pale girl in the front turned around to see the three om them in a small clutter. She chuckled, while Marlee tried to push both Holly and Gene up again.

"Head's down" the giant man called as they arrived at a cliff mouth and they went through a curtain of ivy, some of which got tangled in Holly's hair. She swatted at it and it broke off.

They seemed to continue down a dark tunnel, there could be heard dripping of water, that seemed to run right under the castle. The boats stopped at a sort of underground harbour, everyone getting out and standing on ground made of pebbles and rocks. It crunched and scrunched under Holly's feet, which how she knew as there wasn't a lot of light in the cave like room.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" the man asked, body bend slightly over a boat and pulling out a large, green toad that croaked and tried jumping out of the huge hand.

"Trevor!" the boy from the train exclaimed much more jubilant than Holly would've if she received a toad. Then again, a pet was a pet and beauty in the eye of the beholder, and all that.

The man led them up a passageway that seemed to be made out of the rock, Holly, Gene and Marlee following quite close behind the man. They came out on slightly damp grass in the end, right in the shadow of the castle that now loomed over them. Holly could've stayed there, just admiring the whole frame of the building but Marlee had grabbed her sleeve, they were being led away. Up a flight of stone steps. There were pushing and shoving, until everyone was up, and the man raised a gigantic fist and knocked on the big oak front door, three times.

The door, heavy as it might look, swung open at once and Holly was surprised to see none other than professor McGonagall herself. This time however, she was in emerald green robes that somehow seem to suit her much better than the clothing she had donned for her visit to Holly's home. Her black hair was done up in a tight bun behind her head and she had the same stern look.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall" said the man.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take it from here" McGonagall replied, and Holly could suddenly remember that the boy from the robe shop had indeed called the huge man Hagrid.

McGonagall pulled the door wide open and Holly goggled. The entrance was so big, it could easily fit a house in there, the ceiling so high you couldn't make it out, a grand marble staircase that led upwards and along the stone walls were lit torches burning brightly.

They all followed the older witch across the flagged stone floor, no one daring to speak or even whisper. There was a buzzing of hundreds of voices, coming from a doorway to the right - which Holly guessed must be the rest of the students - but that was not their destination. They were led past that, into a small, empty chamber. They huddled inside, everyone peering around nervously, not Holly though, she was smiling. She could not remember last time she felt this giddy. Barely able to wait to explore the castle, hoping it would be like in movies with winding staircases and secret rooms.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall spoke, drawing Holly's attention back onto the witch.

"The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your houses, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room" she explained, and Holly rather liked that idea, just hoping she would actually get along with the people in whatever house she was placed in. It had been some time since she'd had any friends her own age.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history, and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points are awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

Holly thought she looked rather strictly over the bunch of them, as if daring them to do anything else than that.

"The Sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest that you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting" she seemed to stare at some certain people, though Holly thought it quite pointless. Her hair was rarely anything but unruly and unless anyone had a hair tie, there was little to be done.

"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly" McGonagall said, then left the chamber. As soon as she'd gone, a low hum of whispers broke out.

"Sorting ceremony?" Gene asked incredulously, his brown eyes wide with worry.

"Dunno, a test I s'pose" Marlee replied and shrugged her shoulder, then tried to smooth out her robes a bit.

"You didn't ask your dad?" Holly asked, looking a bit around at everyone else who was picking at their hair and clothes, a boy with hair just as red as Marlee's rubbed the side of his nose furiously. Marlee shrugged again, leaning forward and before Holly could ask what she was doing, picked a bit of ivy tendrils from Holly's hair.

"He wouldn't say, thought it should be a surprise" she then replied, discarding the piece and then went again and found another one. The excitement from before was beginning to feel a bit more frantic and everyone else was setting Holly a bit on edge.

Then, out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed a head of black hair and it made her look. There, standing slightly apart from the rest of the group, was the black-haired boy with the vivid blue eyes. Just the sight of him made a flare of annoyance shoot through Holly. Even now, as he stood there, he looked quite snobbish and rude. Before he had a chance to look over, Holly turned away, the ceremony forgotten for a moment.

"What's with you, looks like you just ate a bad apple or something" Gene asked, worry replaced by confusion. Holly muttered it was nothing, but Marlee had followed her former direction of sight and asked "Is it anything to do with that boy there, you know, the one that stand completely alone" she asked, hinting with her eyes.

"You know him?" Holly asked, looking at the red-haired girl who seemed to have gotten all the ivy out.

"Not really, seen him once or twice when my dad got invited to a party and took me with him, he's from one of those old families" she explained.

Made sense, Holly supposed, then thought he might fit in nicely with the nasty boy from the robe shop, with his talk about servants.

Suddenly, several people screamed, making Holly jump out of her skin. She was about to demand to know what the deal was, when she saw it.

About twenty ghosts had just glided through the back wall. They were all a pearly-white and slightly transparent, floating into the room and hardly seemed to notice the group of students, all staring at them.

They seemed to be arguing over something.

What looked like a little fat monk was saying "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost" A ghost dressed in ruff and tights said, then seemed to notice the group they were just passing.

"I say, what are you doing here?" he asked, but nobody answered. All too stunned at the sight.

"New students!" said the Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"

People nodded but didn't say anything, Holly herself still in too much of awe to think of a respond.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know" the Fat Friar said, looking pleased.

Just as Holly seemed to have collected herself and about to launch into a thousand questions to the group of ghosts, a sharp voice called out "Move along no, the Sorting ceremony's about to start"

McGonagall had returned and to Holly's disappointment, the ghosts disappeared through the opposite wall one by one. Gene seemed quite glad, his face actually seemed to have lost some colour. Marlee didn't seem too affected, having just looked at them with general interest.

"Now, form a line," McGonagall said loudly, "and follow me."

There was a bit of a shuffle and Holly got in line behind Marlee, who was behind Gene, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors, into the Great hall. Holly almost stopped dead in her tracks, threatening to create a harmonica effect on the rest of the line. It was magnificent and so clearly magical. The whole hall was lit by thousands of candles, that were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting, all their eyes towards the new group. Golden plates and goblets were glittering on the tables, catching the candles flickering light on their polished surface. Right at the end stood another long table, this one apparently for teachers and staff. Most of the seats up there were already filled out, Holly being able to make out Hagrid's large frame.

McGonagall led them up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. Everyone was staring, a sea of black robes that made every colour stand out. There was ghost there too, not many, but here and there though they didn't look quite as interested as the students.

Holly, though not easily deterred, looked away from the hundreds of eyes and first then noticed that there was no ceiling, just a velvety blackness dotted with stars. Holly's seemed to remember this being mentioned in that book about Hogwarts. Probably some kind of enchantment.

Holly looked down again, noticing then she hadn't been the only one admiring the starry ceiling. The black-haired boy was too, his neck still craned backwards and eyes fixed upwards.

She was spared of any wonderings about why he was so interested if he was from one of those magical families who was raised with it, when McGonagall came in with a four-legged stool and placed it in front of the group of first years. On top of it was a patched, frayed and not to mention, extremely dirty wizard hat.

Marlee looked back at Holly with a quizzical look, but Holly had no answer, then Gene glanced back at both of them and got the same sort of shrug from both.

How on earth was this going to be a test? Holly hoped they weren't supposed to do something magical with it, since she still didn't know how to control it.

For a few seconds, there was complete silence. A feat considering how many underage people there were in the room. Then the hat actually twitched.

A rip near the brim opened wide like it was a mouth and two dents looked like hollow eyes. Then to Holly's big surprise, maybe even bigger than ghosts, it began to sing.

" _Oh, you may not think I'm pretty_

 _But don't judge on what you see,_

 _I'll eat myself if you can find_

 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_

 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_

 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_

 _The Sorting Hat can't see_

 _So, try me on and I will tell you_

 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart._

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

 _Where they are just and loyal,_

 _Those patient Hufflepuff's are true_

 _And unafraid of toil._

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

 _If you've a ready mind,_

 _Where those of wit and learning,_

 _Will always find their kind._

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_

 _You'll make your real friends_

 _Those cunning folk use any means_

 _To achieve their ends._

 _So, put me on! Don't be afraid!_

 _And don't get in a flap!_

 _You're in safe hands, though I have none_

 _For I am a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole of the hall burst into applause, Holly felt Gene jump a bit, and then the hat bowed to each of the table, then went still.

"So, we just have to put an old, mouldy hat on?" Holly asked Marlee almost without moving her mouth, since there were still all the eyes upon them.

"I am going to kill my dad when I go home for Christmas" Marlee whispered back, her face in a strained pleasant smile as she clapped along with the rest of the all. Holly chuckled at this.

McGonagall stepped forward, a roll of parchment in her hand that seemed to be rather long.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" she said, and Holly couldn't help the beat of the butterflies in her stomach, making her want to squirm and her legs jittery. Why did it have to be in front of the whole school?

"Abbott, Hannah" McGonagall read out loud. A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment pause -

"HUFFLEPUFF" shouted the hat from atop the girl's head.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table, the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Oh, no," Gene muttered, eyes wide with some kind of realisation, "They're going alphabetically, which means - "

"Addams, Eugene" McGonagall read out, and Gene gulped and then moved out of line. He sat down on the stool and the hat was placed on his head, till his eyes were blocked.

Holly bit her lip, didn't breathe until -

"GRYFFINDOR" the hat shouted and the table to the far left, adorned with red and gold on their robes, exploded with cheers and clapped as Gene quickly got of the stool and joined the table, giving Holly and Marlee a small wave. Holly gave a thumbs up.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF" shouted the hat and Susan scuttled to join them, sitting next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW"

The table second from the left, blue and bronze as their colours, clapped and several of them stood up to shake Terry's hand when he went to join them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender!" the girl who had shared the boat with them, went to Gryffindor and sat beside Gene.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" became the first Slytherin and the middle to the right table, who wore green and silver, clapped as she sat down.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin" became another Hufflepuff and Holly started to feel the restlessness in her entire body. How she wished she could just run some laps or do anything besides standing perfectly still.

"Finnigan, Seamus" a sandy-haired boy sat almost a minute on the stool, a lot longer than most. Then again, it seemed to vary greatly from person to person. Sometimes all it took for the hat to cry out, was the barest touch.

"GRYFFINDOR"

"Garwin, Holly" McGonagall called, and Holly stepped out of the line, Marlee giving her a reassuring smile on the way. Refusing to show any sign that she was nervous, she squared her jaw and walked up to the stool as if she had done it a hundred times before. She sat down, back straight and shoulders back, like her father had taught her and then the hat was placed on her head and it fell over her eyes. She was in complete darkness, couldn't even really hear the noise from the hall. Holly was waiting for the hat to cry out, what she hadn't expected was for the hat to talk to her.

"Oh, what do we have here, hmm?" the small voice said in her ear.

"Such eagerness, yes, very good, boldness and competitive, maybe Gryffindor would suit you. Ahh, but that is not all, such a capacity for compassion, loyal and protective. Yes, I know where you belong - HUFFLEPUFF"

The last, Holly heard the hat shout to the entire hall, somehow not deafening her in the process. She took of the hat with a great big grin and hurried down to the table with yellow and black on their clothes. Some of the other students moved to give room and Holly sat down, after shaking hand with an older boy who introduced himself as Gabriel Truman. Apparently, he was something called a prefect. She was about to ask what that was, when Susan Bones shushed her because the next name was being called.

"Granger, Hermione"

A girl with bushy hair, practically ran up to the stool and jammed the hat onto her head.

"GRYFFINDOR" the hat shouted quickly, and she hurried off, down to her table, that cheered.

The boy who'd lost his toad got called up, called Nerville Longbottom, but he stumbled on the way up and after the hat has called out "GRYFFINDOR" yet again, he was so eager to get down that he forgot to take the hat of and had to return it midst gales of laughter. Holly felt quite bad for him, he was obviously incredible nervous.

"Malfoy, Draco"

The pale blonde-haired boy from the train swaggered up and the hat had barely touched his head, before it cried out "SLYTHERIN" and he went to join the table where the two larger boy, Holly had seen flee with him, sat.

There were loads more people and Holly was getting hungry, having only eaten sweets since breakfast this morning.

"North, Theadora"

A dark-skinned girl with glasses and corkscrew curls walked up and was immediately proclaimed a Ravenclaw.

Holly's stomach was growling by the time the P's were called out and she suddenly looked up again, knowing Marlee's last name, but it was a while before it was her.

"Parkinson, Pansy" went to Slytherin, while a pair of twin girls "Patil" and "Patil" was sent to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.

"Potter, Harry" McGonagall called, and the hall suddenly got very quiet. This made Holly confused especially when she noticed the wide, disbelieving eyes around her. You could think that they had just announced some kind of celebrity. She craned her neck to get a look at him, which everyone else also did.

It was a black-haired boy, Holly thought at first it was the rude boy, but no, this one had round glasses and clear green eyes. As soon as he stepped forward, the hall broke the silence in fevering whispers, sounding like hissing snakes.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

Holly leaned over to one of the older students who looked stunned and asked, "What's going on? Who is this Potter boy?".

The boy, looking to be around fifteen, with brown hair, gave her an incredulous look.

"You don't know who Harry Potter is?"

Holly shook her head. Was she supposed to know?

"He's the one who defeated, You-know-who" he explained, like it was the most obvious thing.

"Who?" she just asked, thoroughly confused and slightly annoyed at the vague responds.

Something dawned on his face.

"Oh, you're muggleborn, aren't yer?" he asked, and she frowned.

"Yeah, why?"

"Let's just say that there was a very evil and bad dark wizard and _he_ ," the boy pointed at Harry Potter who was still on the stool, "stopped him eleven years ago".

Now it was Holly's turn to look sceptical.

"How? He would've been a baby back then, how would he be able to stop anyone?" she asked.

The boy shrugged, "Dunno, but he did, and it was the end of the war."

Holly would've liked to ask some more, but then the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR" and the loudest cheer erupted from the Gryffindor table. It roared throughout the all, deafening any other sound while she could hear someone yelling loudly, "We got Potter, we got Potter" over and over again. It took a long time and several tries from McGonagall to continue with the list.

"Price, Marlee" the older witch called, finally haven gotten enough quiet to be heard.

Marlee stood out with her red hair and black robes and from somewhere by the Gryffindor's table, Holly heard someone whisper, "Is that another Weasley, I only thought they had the one sister".

Then someone replied, "Can't be, didn't you hear, last name is Price".

"But she might still be related" the first one retorted.

Marlee sat there for almost a minute, at one point the hat must have sat something she didn't agree with because she gave a loud "Oi! No, I am not" which made the hall chortle and snicker.

Then finally it called out "HUFFLEPUFF" and their table cheered, Holly clapping and whistling, making room for Marlee when she came bouncing towards them.

"Knew we were gonna be good friends, now, we stuck with each other" Marlee said, blue eyes glinting mischievously and in a way that left Holly in no doubt that what she said was true.

Her first real friend. It was a nice feeling.

"Schade, Aiden" was called and this time, when Holly saw the black hair, it was indeed the rude boy. He moved in a smooth manner, like every step was carefully measured, and he hardly spared a glance to either McGonagall or the rest of the hall.

Again, it took a little while until the hat said "SLYHTERIN" and then he walked down to the table beside theirs, barely acknowledging the cheering and shaking hands with an older boy.

Holly turned her head away, not wanting to be caught staring, not by him or anyone else.

Then there was "Thomas, Dean", a tall, dark skinned boy who went to Gryffindor and "Turpin, Lisa", became a Ravenclaw. This evening was dragging out. There were only two boys left and thank heaven for that, before long the hall would be able to hear the growling of her stomach.

"Weasley, Ronald", a boy with hair just as red as Marlee's stood, looking green around the gills, and became a Gryffindor too. Lastly there was "Zabini, Blaise" who went to Slytherin.

Finally, McGonagall rolled op the scroll and took both stool and hat away.

An old man, who had been sitting in the middle of the teacher's table, now stood. He had long silver hair and beard, that seemed to glow in the candle light, and he wore half-moon spectacles on a sort of crooked nose. Looked to have been broken one or two times.

He beamed at his students, arms wide open as he was actual pleased to see them there, a change from what Holly was used to. Principal Summerbee, had always looked rather weary and sour, when he was giving the first speech of the term.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And there they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you"

He sat back down, with the hall bursting into cheers and clapping. Holly only clapped polite, frowning and looking around to see if anyone baffled like she felt.

"He seems a bit loony, doesn't he" she leaned in and whispered to Marlee who was clapping along.

"Oh yeah, completely, but he is rather clever, he's the most powerful wizard there are" Marlee replied back, nonchalantly, taking a spoonful of green peas. First then, did Holly realise that the before empty table was now overflowing with food. She almost fell backwards in surprise, steadying herself with her hands, her eyes widen to they could no more.

Wonderful scents wafted into her nose, mouth-watering immediately.

There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chop, sausages, beacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, oddly enough, peppermint humbugs.

Hungry and having never been offered to many choices, Holly tried to get something of everything, well, except the boiled potatoes which she loathed.

It was heavenly, every bite just making her hungrier, though she had to say, she preferred her father's Yorkshire pudding and would write it in her first letter.

The Fat Friar floated around the table, talking merrily to the older students and greeting the new ones.

"Holly, this is Hannah, I know her through my dad", Marlee introduced her to a blonde girl with rounded cheeks. "She's half-blood too" Marlee explained.

"Oh," Holly said, mouth filled with chicken, which she quickly swallowed and said "Hello, so are you guys in some kind of half-blood club, you seem to know everyone" Holly directed the last bit at Marlee.

"Well, dad works in the Ministry in the muggle cooperation department, so he knows a lot of times when witches and wizards marry muggles, have to write these things down you see" she explained. Susan Bones, a girl with red hair, though not as bright, turned out to be a half-blood too, but she lived with her aunt who was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which meant that her and Marlee sort of knew each other.

Though Holly was glad to meet all these people, but with a lot of them somehow knowing each other, she began fearing Marlee's earlier proclamation. These were not girls who had been lonely and locked because of their oddness, even with one muggle parents, they knew they were magic and could be taught. Holly had her grandpa, who had kept it a secret and never told her.

"You're a muggleborn too?" a boy asked her, just as she was about to take another fork of roasted potatoes with gravy. He dark brown hair and Holly remembered that his name was Justin.

"Yeah, what gave it away" Holly asked slyly. He chuckled and pointed up at Dumbledore who was sitting and eating, "You seemed just as puzzled at his so-called _words_ as me".

And they struck up a conversation, as Holly found out to her delight, that he was interested in baseball as well.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, Holly feeling absolutely stuffed, the food vanished, leaving the plates sparkling clean. A moment later, they were filled up again, but this time with all kinds of desserts. Blocks of ice-cream in more flavours than the average ice pallor, apple pies, treacle tart, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding and more. Holly were quick to the strawberries, filling half the plate with the, the rest taken up by the eclairs and apple pie.

"Got a second stomach for deserts" she explained when Justin marvelled how she could eat more. Then again, Holly had to admit that after the second éclair and piece of pie, she was about to rip or maybe just throw up.

Feeling rather sleepy, Holly let her eyes sweep over the high table. Professor McGonagall was speaking to professor Dumbledore, and a teacher wearing a rather large turban, was talking to a man with greasy black hair and a hooked nose. Holly thought he looked quite unpleasant.

"That's professor Snape, that is, the one with the nose" Gabriel Trueman, the prefect said, having evidently noticed where Holly's eyes had wandered.

"He looks a bit sour" she said, without thinking that it was a teacher she was talking about. Luckily, Gabriel did not scold her, just gave a smile, "Yeah, he is a bit, not very pleasant and quite biased to his own house, Slytherin. Our head of house is professor Sprout, that one right there" he said and pointed up at the high table, to a squat little witch with short, grey, wavy hair and a big smile on her face.

"Who is for the other houses?" Marlee asked, having caught wind of the conversation. She had a jam doughnut in her hand and raspberry jam in the corner of her mouth.

"Eh, professor Flitwick for Ravenclaw and professor McGonagall for Gryffindor" he pointed at the two teachers. Flitwick was a tiny wizard, one who seemed to be sitting on something just to be able to sit right at the table, with shocking white and hair wearing green robes. Of course, she knew McGonagall, in her emerald robes and black hair done up.

"Is he a dwarf" Justin asked, Holly thinking the same things.

Gabriel shook his head, "Nah, think it's more likely he's half-goblin or something, but it would be rather rude to ask such a question".

Holly didn't think professor Flitwick looked much like the goblins at Gringotts bank.

"Who is the one with the ugly turban" asked Hannah, her face in a grimace over the fashion choice. Gabriel looked like he regretted explaining, because he had a treacle tart half way in his mouth, when he pulled it out again with a sigh to answer.

"That's professor Quirrell, he was the Muggle Studies teacher last year, but he's going to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts this year, and I don't know about the turban," he shrugged.

"didn't wear it last term."

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. Everyone fell silent.

"Aherm, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

He seemed to look at someone particular, but all Holly could do was give a low moan. She'd seen the forest on their way up and had looked forward to exploring it.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."

Holly remembered her grandma telling her about quidditch, a wizarding sport played on broomsticks. Grandpa Elias had played it back in his days.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

A few people laughed, but quickly quieted down. Holly just looked rather dubiously at their Headmaster. She looked at Gabriel who looked both slightly confused but also very grave.

"He means it?" Holly whispered at him, he nodded.

"Wouldn't joke about that, but it's odd, he usually tells us prefects that kind of stuff, so we can make sure the rules are followed. Also, he typically gives a reason why."

Then professor Dumbledore's whole demeanour changed, from grim to jovial.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song" he cried out in gaiety, though the other teachers seem to be straining to smile.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, like there was a bug stuck on it, and a long golden ribbon flew out of the tip, rising above the tables and twisted itself into it formed words.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune," Dumbledore instructed, "and off we go!" and the school bellowed.

 _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

 _Teach us something please,_

 _Whether we be old and bald_

 _Or young with scabby knees,_

 _Our heads could do with filling_

 _With some interesting stuff_

 _For now, they're bare and full of air,_

 _Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

 _So, teach us things worth knowing,_

 _Bring back what we've forgot,_

 _Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

 _And learn until our brains all rot_

Everyone finished at different times. Holly herself had chosen 'Another brick in the Wall' which Justin found amusing, but Gabriel just stared at her, not that Holly blamed him as the song sounded quite opposite of what the Hogwarts was singing about. Someone was still singing, even when everyone else had gone quiet as they had picked a slow funeral march. Dumbledore looked like he regaled and even conducted their last few lines with his wand and he was the one to clap the loudest when they finally finished.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The shuffle of several hundreds of students echoed in the Great Hall and Gabriel called over everyone to follow him. It was hard not to get swept up in one of the other house's crowds, so Holly and Marlee simply followed everything that was yellow and black. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw seem to split off and go up the marble staircase she'd seen earlier while they were being led to a door in the entrance hall and then going down. Holly was rather glad they weren't going upwards like some of the other houses, for she was dead tired. Filled to the brim with food and having been up since what felt like the crack of dawn, she was ready to just fall on top of a bed and fall asleep.

They were led down to a broad, basement corridor, brightly lit and decorated with food-themed paintings to a large pile of barrels, stacked in a shadowy stone recess on the right-hand side of the corridor. They crowded around the barrels, the older students letting the first years come to the front, so they could see.

"This is the entrance to our common room and this is how to get in" Gabriel said loudly, then made a fist and tapped the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row in a very specific rhythm. The barrel tapped, opened and Gabriel led them through.

They crawled inside, then walked on a sloping, earth passage that travelled upwards a little way, until a cosy, round, low-ceilinged room was revealed. It reminded Holly a bit like a burrow or a sett, decorated in cheerful bee-like colours of yellow and black. The tables and the rounds doors were made of highly polished, honey-coloured wood. On circular shelves that was curved to fit the walls, stood a profusion of colourful plants and flowers that seemed to relish the atmosphere of the common room; various cactii waved and danced as the first years passed by, while copper-bottomed plant holders dangled amid the ceiling cause tendrils of fern and ivies to brush the taller students' heads when they passed under them.

There was a fireplace with a wooden mantelpiece, which was carved all over with decorative dancing badgers, and above it was a portrait of a witch, wearing a medieval dress robe, holding a tiny, two handled golden cup. Holly realised as she looked at the woman, that is was Helga Hufflepuff. She'd seen a picture when she leafed through ' _Hogwarts, a History'_ of all the founders and this was with no doubt Helga Hufflepuff. She smiled kindly at the first year, all gaping and awing at their surroundings.

There were small round windows, just level with the ground at the foot of the castle, it was dark outside but Holly could see the grass rippling in a breeze.

Gabriel got all the first years to gather up to give a bit of information. Holly yawned, but tried her hardest not to show it, concealing her mouth behind her mouth.

"That door leads to the boy's dormitories, the other one to the girl's, your luggage is already there. Take heed to learn which barrel to tap and in the right rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff', if you tap the wrong place or do the rhythm wrong too many times, the other barrels with open and drench whoever is trying to get in, in vinegar" he told them, "which is not a pleasant experience".

"Yeah, you should know, o' Gabe," an older student yelled in the back, "got it wrong constantly during your fist year, you did, robes constantly smelling like you spilled picked eggs on it".

Gabriel got a bit pink, bit Holly could see him holding back a smile as he answered.

"Yes, thank you, Leanne, I remember" and then it was bedtime.

The boys and girls divided, going through their own door.

There seemed to be several rooms, Holly and Marlee both were delighted to walk into a room that was furnished with comfortable looking beds that had bedsteads made out of the same wood and all covered in patchwork quilts. There was also a small fireplace in there too, though it wasn't lit at the moment, though Holly thought it would come in very handy during winter. There were four beds in there, with their own trunk by each bed.

"Gert!" Marlee cried out and there the red striped cat indeed was, laying on her side and looking like she was trying to take up the entire bed.

Holly looked expectedly at what she assumed was her bed, as her trunk was there, but saw no kitten. Though he had to be somewhere, because Holly could see the empty wicker basket carrier which had held him. Then she noticed a small bump in the quilt, move slightly.

Smiling, she went to the corner of the quilt and pulled it slightly upwards.

A pair of round yellow eyes stared back at her, Chess' fur once again, blending into the darkness.

"Hello, Chess, hiding again I see," she said, "Your name really does suit you."

A moment passed, then Chess decided to come out for a short petting but when bounding footsteps came rushing in, he scuttled back under the quilt.

It was Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones, seemed they were also sleeping in there. Both of them had owls, who they told was probably out hunting or in the owlery, not fond of being underground.

They positively adored Gert who let them pet and stroke her, rolling around on her back and ready for a tummy rub. Chess was less affectionate. When Holly got ready to get under the quilt and blanket, having to get the black kitten out from under the covers first, the two girls awed and tried to pet him too, but he simply looked startled and, in a flash, had hidden inside of Holly's nightshirt.

"Sorry, he's a bit shy and not keen on strangers" she said, trying to pry him off her which left some rifts at her sides.

When she settled down, all too ready for sleep, Chess crawled under the quilt again and under her arm and curled up there, making Holly smile fondly. He might be a self-important, silent, sometimes grumpy and skittish cat, but he was hers and he was perfect the way he was.

"Goodnight" Marlee called out, her own cat laying on top of her already.

"'Night" Holly called back and fell asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes, even with Susan and Hannah whispering and giggling beside her.


End file.
